Twins expect Joe Ryan to be ready for spring training

Speaking to reporters at the Winter Meetings in Dallas on Monday, Twins President Derek Falvey gave a few health updates for players who were unavailable at the end of the season.

That included Carlos Correa, who is attracting trade suitors, Falvey said. The veteran shortstop missed almost the entire second half of the season because of plantar fasciitis in his right foot.

Falvey said Correa was recently seen by a specialist and is doing, “Great, actually.”

“He told (head athletic trainer) Nick Paparesta that he feels better at this stage than he did last year dealing with the other plantar issue (left foot) going into December. I think that’s a really good sign. … One thing I can tell you about Carlos, no one is going to be more attentive to the things he needs to do over the course of the offseason to make sure he’s in a good place.”

Right-hander Joe Ryan, who finished the season on the 60-day injured list with a Grade 2 shoulder strain, did not have surgery and is doing “really well,” Falvey said.

“We fully expect him to be ready to go for spring training,” Falvey added. “When he had his injury, there wasn’t really a lot to follow up on other than just check-ins and making sure he was tracking well. He is, and that’s good news.

Other injury updates included:

Right-hander Chris Paddack, forearm strain, is “back to his normal workouts, routines and hopefully building up back toward spring training.”

Outfielder Matt Wallner, oblique, “We don’t anticipate that to be an issue going forward.”

Right-hander Brock Stewart, who made only 16 appearances last season and had arthroscopic shoulder surgery, has begun a throwing program, and the Twins “expect to see him in spring training at some point.”

Jax in rotation?

Griffin Jax has emerged as one of the Twins’ top late-inning bullpen arms and had his best season in 2024, coming away with a 2.03 earned-run average with a career-high 95 strikeouts in 71 innings. But Falvey acknowledged Monday there has been some talk about taking him out of the ’pen.

“It’s a conversation that we had during the season, and even at the end, and carry it through to the offseason,” Falvey said. “That’s a two-way dialogue. Griff has expressed some interest in exploring the idea, but also at the same time, he wants to think about the right next steps for him and his career.”

Falvey said the team is in contact with Jax, 30, and his agent about the prospect.

“I’m confident we’ll end up in a good place about the role he’s in that feels good for him and feels good for us,” Falvey said. “That’s still a to-be-determined conversation at this stage.”