Joe Ryan to Join Jose Guzman, Steve Busby in Rare Feat

Twins manager Rocco Baldelli announced Thursday afternoon that the team's starter for Opening Day will be a rookie righty, Joe Ryan. Ryan, who only made five starts with the Twins in 2021, will become the third Major League pitcher to make his sixth career start on an Opening Day. Both Steve Busby and Juan Guzman pitched eight full seasons in the big leagues. What, if anything, do their histories tell about Ryan's future from an Opening Day standpoint?

Ryan's performance with the Twins in September 2021 was very solid. After he returned from pitching in the Olympics in Tokyo for Team USA, he made two starts with the Saints before getting his call up to the Majors on September 1. Ryan is no stranger to pitching on big stages. Ryan's counterpart on the mound will be Seattle Mariners ace and 2021 AL Cy Young Award winner Robbie Ray. 

Ryan's predecessors in this historic start also faced challenging opponents in their Opening Day starts. For Busby in 1973, his Kansas City Royals faced off against strikeout king Nolan Ryan and the California Angels. Guzman and the Texas Rangers were facing the face of a franchise for their Opening Day in 1986, Dave Stieb of the Toronto Blue Jays.

On April 6, 1973, Busby's Opening Day performance ended up with a loss for the Royals. Busby pitched 4 1/3 innings before being yanked by Royals manager Jack McKeon. Busby gave up three earned runs on seven hits and a walk. He walked one batter.

The Angels ended up not scoring any more runs after Busby was pulled, and even though the Royals scored two runs in the bottom of the eighth against Ryan, it wasn't enough. Ryan threw a complete game and did what Nolan Ryan did best. He struck out 12 batters in the game.

Guzman's 1986 Opening Day start looked much different than Busby's. Even facing the reigning AL ERA champ in Stieb, the Rangers' offense scored three runs in the fourth and fifth innings. Stieb was taken out after 4 1/3 innings pitched, and Guzman held the Blue Jays scoreless to that point in the game.

Guzman eventually gave up three runs to the Blue Jays in the top of the sixth but powered through the mishap and threw eight innings. Guzman's stat line for his Opening Day start ended with three earned runs on eight hits over eight innings. He struck out three and didn't issue any walks. The Rangers beat the Blue Jays 6-3, giving Guzman his fourth career win in his sixth career start. 

Like Busby and Guzman, Ryan's mound opponent is an established ace in Robbie Ray. The defending AL Cy Young Award winner will be a formidable opponent to match up against on the mound for Ryan. Still, Baldelli has strong confidence in Ryan to be the guy for the Twins to start their season. 

So, what can history show Ryan based on the two other pitchers who made their sixth career start on Opening Day?

Of course, it tells us nothing. When a sample size is just two, nothing can be learned from those two starts. After a three-week spring training, Ryan shouldn't have any expectations to pitch like his predecessors, certainly not to pitch eight innings like Guzman. Instead, he will create his unique performance against the Mariners that can hopefully lead to a Twins win. 

It will be a great game nonetheless as the Twins return to the field for 2022 and give fans the first rookie Opening Day starter since Tom Hall in 1969.

Get your predictions in. How will Joe Ryan perform in his first Opening Day start (hopefully first of many)? How will the Twins do against Robbie Ray? Leave your comments and predictions below.