Michael

Ryan

Ryan is the latest flavor of the day for the Twins in right, but he could continue to receive regular time this month.

The Twins seem to prefer Ryan’s left-handed bat to Ford’s ability to back up Torii Hunter in center field.

That’s assuming Jose Offerman makes the team, which is a crime.

There is no word yet on how long Ryan will be out of action. Michael Restovich will likely get whatever playing time is available in the outfield as a result of the Ryan injury. The Twins will likely recall Alex Prieto to take Ryan’s spot on the 25-man roster.

Ryan, a former infielder, is preparing himself in case the Twins need him to play at second or third in the case of an emergency. With all of Minnesota’s injuries, that is a possibility.

Ryan was on Minnesota’s DL with a strained nerve in his left shoulder before being optioned to the minors five days ago.

Ryan is a .265/.313/.408 lifetime hitter in the majors, but hasn’t appeared in a big league game since 2005 as a member of the Twins. The 32-year-old outfielder was batting .351/.372/.545 with one home run and 12 RBI in 77 at-bats with Triple-A Salt Lake to begin the season. His arrival may mean that Maicer Izturis could hit the disabled list.

Ryan spent the second half of last year in the minors after getting off to a poor start and then hurting his shoulder in June. Although he’s being kept, he won’t be a lock for a spot on Minnesota’s roster.

Ryan hit .231/.283/.325 in 117 AB for the Twins this season, leaving him with a career line of .265/.313/.408 in 260 AB. He’s a fifth outfielder at best, and the Twins aren’t expected to re-sign him.

Ryan, a valuable bench player for the Twins two years ago, is back in the majors after hitting .301/.366/.500 in 136 AB. He’ll be used primarily as a pinch-hitter against righties, giving him no fantasy value.