Joe Ryan has solid start, but Twins are shut out by Atlanta 4-0

FORT MYERS, FLA. — Joe Ryan stepped onto the mound for his first spring appearance looking slightly different.

Yes, he did chop off his long locks since debuting for the Twins late last season. But there was an even more recent change: his jersey number.

The starter wore No. 74 last season but was No. 40 for this spring training. But in the 4-0 loss to the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday at Hammond Stadium, Ryan sported No. 41.

He pitched two innings, giving up three hits and striking out one, while wearing that number.

The Twins and Braves were scoreless until the seventh inning, when Cole Sands walked two batters and Jordan Cowan doubled in two runs.

With Austin Schulfer pitching in the eighth for the Twins, Chadwick Tromp doubled and Jacob Pearson walked before one run scored on Stephen Paolini's single and the other on Justin Dean's sacrifice fly.

The Twins are now 1-5 in the Grapefruit League.

After coming out of the game, Ryan threw another 20 pitches in the bullpen, boding well for how he will stretch out with the April 6 season opener looming.

"Honestly, had probably my best day," Ryan said of Tuesday's outing. "Command-wise, felt pretty good. Curveball felt really good. Slider felt good. Changeup was there. Got a nice swing and miss on a right-on-right change, which is something I've been working on. So it was good to get that result."

Of the number switcharoo, Ryan said he asked for 41 last season, but there was a mix-up, and the club couldn't contact him about it during the lockout. He did wear 40 when pitching in last summer's Tokyo Olympics, where he won a silver medal.

But Ryan wanted 41 because it's the inverse of 14, which was his first choice. The Twins have that retired, though, in honor of Kent Hrbek.

"I was looking at the board today, all the numbers that I would want are retired," Ryan said, mentioning Kirby Puckett's No. 34 and Joe Mauer's No. 7. "I was like, 'C'mon, guys.'"

While it might not have been his first choice, Ryan is pleased to share 41 with a fellow Californian, 20-year MLB veteran and Hall of Famer Tom Seaver, who hailed from Fresno, Calif. Ryan is from the Bay Area.