Former top prospect will face his original club as Rays seek 7th straight win

The Rays will head into tonight's matchup with their longest winning streak since the incredible start to the 2023 season where they won 13 in a row. They've notched six wins in a row, but they will be facing a tough competitor in the Twins and a familiar face on the mound. A former Rays' top prospect will toe the rubber against his former organization as they hope to excel against one of their very own pitching factory products.

Former top prospect Joe Ryan will toe the rubber against the Rays in the second game of the series

Joe Ryan was drafted by the Tampa Bay front office in the 7th round of the 2018 draft out of Stanislaus State University. Despite coming from a Division 2 school, Ryan was highly regarded due to his amazing 1.65 ERA and 127 strikeouts during his senior year. The Rays knew they had a potential ace starter to build on.

However, the Rays decided to deal Joe Ryan to the Twins for power threat rental, Nelson Cruz. In the long run, it's widely believed that Tampa Bay lost this trade as Cruz hit a miserable .226 with only 13 home runs to finish out the 2021 campaign. The 7-time All-Star was worn down as he retired from the sport after only 49 games in 2023.

Meanwhile, the Rays former 14th top prospect was poised to make his big league debut with the Minnesota Twins. Coming off of an impressive showing for the United States national team, Ryan tossed 26.2 innings for the 2021 Twins, producing a 4.05 ERA.

It's been smooth sailing for the young hurler ever since as he's accrued at least 10 wins and 150 strikeouts twice (2022 and 2023). In fact, the California native punched out 197 hitters in only 161.2 frames.

Now, four years removed from the notorious trade, Joe Ryan will face his former club as both teams look to continue their scorching hot stretch. The Twins have collected 16 wins in their last 20 contests and the Rays are trying to extend a league-leading six-game win streak. Another interesting dynamic is that both clubs are fighting for a Wild Card entry, as the Twins are currently in the running and the Rays are only a game out.