AL DIVISION SERIES: TWINS VS ASTROS

October 10, 2023

Joe Ryan

Target Field

Minnesota Twins

Pregame 3 Press Conference

Q. Joe, you haven't pitched in a game since Colorado. Have you faced hitters, or how have you kind of stayed ready between the end of the regular season till tomorrow?

JOE RYAN: I have not faced hitters. Thrown a couple bullpens, but I think just not knowing what I'm going to do has kept my mind pretty focused on just the thought process of pitching every day since then. That's been the focus. It doesn't really feel like it's been that long.

Q. What was it like watching Saturday's game, watching them lose and not being able to be a part of it?

JOE RYAN: I was more excited. The homer to get us back in the race there and get it close wasn't really a thought then, like, oh, we got our s*** kicked in or anything. It was focused on winning this game, and we're getting pretty close.

I was just excited I could come out of the pen and fill that role if I needed to. Obviously you want to win. But other than that, I wasn't really thinking anything else.

Q. You just mentioned, were there scenarios you were going to be ready to pitch from the pen? How were you prepared to do that, if so?

JOE RYAN: I just kind of found out yesterday, like last night or something if I was going tomorrow. Yeah, I've just been thinking about pitching out of the pen. That's a little bit different mindset, I guess. I was down there the other day, and I guess just watching from that angle is a little different.

It's kind of cool. Just staying locked in the whole time, not knowing if you might go in or not. Yeah, I think that's just helped keep my mind locked in on the game.

Q. We faced them already this year, but how will this experience kind of inform and affect how you approach them tomorrow?

JOE RYAN: I think it's great. I've always kind of thought about how that could affect the game, if the hitters have an advantage, pitcher has an advantage. But I think it's just a new game. It will be fun to go out and compete against some guys.

I guess it makes it easier with familiar faces to have a better plan how to attack them.

Q. Is there any element to rest after having not pitched for such a long time? Starting pitchers are creatures of habit, and getting out of that habit in front of one of the biggest starts of your career, what can that do to you, if anything?

JOE RYAN: I don't know. I haven't thought about that part too much. I think we've kept the intensity there in play catch and bullpens and just trying to -- yeah, just keep them all spiraling properly.

I think it's good to have a little bit of rest too after the long season. I think, if you just keep everything firing how it should be and make sure your pitches are there, it's not too much of a worry.

Q. What are the conversations like within your starting group, especially as it pertains to Pablo and Sonny, about how to pitch to this lineup, attacking them, learning from what you've seen from them? Like the conversations you guys have in your groups with bullpens or prep or whatnot.

JOE RYAN: It hasn't really been too different since the regular season. That's something we've done the whole year is just communicate and share information and break down our good outings or bad outings and really work together well on that.

So probably be talking to Pablo a little bit more in the dugout today, but it's pretty fun to watch him do what he does the other day.

Yeah, other than that, just breaking down hitters and kind of keeping it the same as always. I think this has been our goal the whole year to get here, so just having those reps of communication prior to each start has been really beneficial.

Q. You touched on it a little bit when you spoke during the Wild Card round, but it will be an elimination game tomorrow for somebody. Is that special to you to take the mound knowing kind of the importance of tomorrow?

JOE RYAN: Definitely. I think just get after it from pitch 1 and go as long as you can the whole time and get everything you have. Yeah, nothing's promised, so just keep going.

Q. With that injury and weird slump in August, do you feel like the same pitcher now that you were when you started out so strong early in the year?

JOE RYAN: Yeah, I feel definitely rested with this extra time, but I think we've just put in a lot of work with coaches and working with Pete and Matt Daniels and just getting everything kind of locked in and getting the pitches where we want to, working in the training room and just getting the body right.

Yeah, I feel really good, and I threw a great little side yesterday. So I'm feeling strong.

Q. "Fire on the Mountain," or is there a playoff cut?

JOE RYAN: I think "Purple Haze," probably going to stick with that one right now.

Q. Why?

JOE RYAN: It was my debut song, and it's pretty good. The whole like "Experience" name comes from Jimi, so it works well.