The Twins seemed to approach their ninth Grapefruit League game like the opener of a big series in August. The Yankees, at least until it was too late to influence the outcome, seemed content just to be getting their work in amid the sunshine of Spring Training.

Minnesota’s 8-4 victory Thursday afternoon at Steinbrenner Field, in itself, won’t affect how the Twins’ 2025 season turns out. But some of the details could portend a return to the kind of success the team missed throughout 2024.

Joe Ryan debuted fantastically

The Twins have been encouraged all along by how right-hander Joe Ryan has recovered from a shoulder strain that cost him the final seven weeks of the 2024 season. And yet, it must have been hard to be too confident without seeing him pitch competitively again.

Showing the Twins exactly what they wanted to see, Ryan was sharp over two scoreless innings and 37 pitches. He struck out four, allowing a single and a walk. His fastball reached 94.1 mph and averaged 93 mph, achieving velocity goals he set for this point in his recovery, and he got three whiffs on eight swings with it. He got five misses on 15 swings total.

The Yankees put three balls in play overall and the only hard hit came on a 95.2 single on the ground by Cody Bellinger. The Yankees also had other big names like Aaron Judge, Paul Goldschmidt, Jazz Chisholm, Austin Wells, Jasson Dominguez and Anthony Volpe in their starting lineup. Ryan was facing tough hitters.

Twins manager Rocco Baldelli, in talking to reporters, called Ryan’s performance a “great introduction to the season.”

“He even threw a nice slider or two, that little sweepy pitch that he throws, and showed a little feel for it,” Baldelli said. “He’s out there facing a good lineup, and he goes right at them.”

Zebby zuffers zetback

Right-hander Zebby Matthews injured his right hip in the fourth inning when he slipped on the dirt making a throw to first base fielding Paul Goldschmidt’s swinging bunt. It was a nice play that showed hustle and athleticism. But it also hurt, and Matthews walked off the field with an athletic trainer after getting just four outs.

For a pitcher, a lower-body injury is better than an elbow or shoulder. And a hip is better than a knee. The Twins will re-evaluate Matthews on Friday, and while they do not expect it to be a long-term problem, it will slow Matthews preparation for the season.

With three weeks to go before Opening Day, any chance Matthews had of beginning the season in the big-league rotation probably evaporated.

The Twins still have Chris Paddack as a fifth starter following Pablo López, Bailey Ober, Simeon Woods Richardson and Ryan.

Another prospect is in play, David Festa, not to mention rookies Andrew Morris and Cory Lewis, who are performing well in Spring Training. The Twins have options, including some we’re not even thinking of.

But Matthews was looking great, like he had learned from his rough major league debut in ’24. His fastball was crisp and he was getting a lot of ground balls. There’s a lot for everyone to look forward to. It’s just going to take longer to bear fruit.

Twins homer four times vs. actual Yankees pitchers

The Twins jumped on right-hander Gerrit Cole for six runs and five hits, including two home runs, over 2 2/3 innings. Matt Wallner hit a three-run homer in the second, connecting 105.5 mph off the bat with a full count after falling behind 0-2. It was the second homer of the spring for Wallner, who worked from the leadoff spot again.

Brooks Lee also took Cole deep for a solo homer in the third, hunting with a 3-0 count and connecting off the bat at 94.7 mph. Lee had another hit against Cole, a 107 mph single that hit off the fence in right field too hard for him to take second base. Lee, probably the leader to start at second base, is starting to hit the ball hard.

Mickey Gasper had three hits and a home run (against Fernando Cruz), and Mike Ford went deep against Luke Weaver. It’s possible Gasper and Ford could be fighting for the same roster spot — at Triple-A St. Paul — though Gasper is an intriguing bench option for the big-league club because of his bat and his ability to play first base and second.

But there still might not be room for him. Gasper had three hits, including an RBI single to begin the scoring.

Trevor Larnach had two hits and a walk, and had two of the three the hardest-hit balls of the game, including a 111.9 mph single on the ground against Cole.