Twins Ace Joe Ryan Shines in Tough Loss to Reds

Despite a dominant pitching performance, the Twins fall 2-1 at home to Cincinnati.

Apr. 18, 2026 at 6:22am

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A fragmented, abstract painting depicting a baseball pitcher's delivery and a batter's swing broken down into sharp, overlapping geometric shapes and planes in a vibrant color palette, conceptually representing the intensity and drama of a close major league baseball game.Twins ace Joe Ryan's dominant pitching performance is deconstructed into a cubist masterpiece, capturing the raw energy and tension of a close MLB matchup.Minneapolis Today

Twins starting pitcher Joe Ryan delivered another impressive outing, allowing just 3 hits and 0 walks over 6 innings. However, the Twins offense was held in check and they fell 2-1 to the visiting Cincinnati Reds at Target Field.

Why it matters

The loss is a tough one for the Twins, who have been relying on Ryan's strong starts to keep them competitive in the AL Central division race. While Ryan continues to establish himself as one of the best young pitchers in the league, the Twins' inability to provide run support has resulted in several hard-luck losses for the right-hander.

The details

Ryan was in control throughout his 6 innings, striking out 7 Reds batters. But the Twins offense managed just 1 run on the night, unable to capitalize on Ryan's gem. The Reds scored single runs in the 4th and 7th innings to secure the narrow victory.

  • The game was played on Friday, April 18, 2026 at Target Field in Minneapolis.
  • Ryan tossed 6 innings, allowing 3 hits and 0 walks.

The players

Joe Ryan

The ace of the Twins' starting rotation, Ryan has emerged as one of the top young pitchers in the American League.

Cincinnati Reds

The visiting team who defeated the Twins 2-1 in the series opener at Target Field.

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What they’re saying

“Joe gave us exactly what we needed tonight, but we just couldn't get the bats going to support him. That's a tough one to swallow.”

— Rocco Baldelli, Twins Manager

What’s next

The Twins and Reds will continue their 3-game series on Saturday night at Target Field.

The takeaway

Despite another stellar outing from their young ace, the Twins offense continues to struggle, leading to frustrating losses like this one. If the Twins hope to contend in the AL Central, they'll need to find a way to provide more run support for their dominant starting pitching.