In many ways, Joe Ryan is feeling as good as he ever has in mid-August.

Which is why it came as such a shock to the Twins starter when an MRI revealed a Grade 2 strain in the teres major in his right shoulder — an injury manager Rocco Baldelli said Friday is expected to keep him out “weeks to months.”

Ryan took himself out of his start against the Cubs on Wednesday in the second inning and was officially placed on the 15-day injured list Friday.

“The biggest frustration of it has to be feeling as good as I do right now everywhere else in relation to past seasons,” Ryan said before his team’s matchup with Cleveland on Saturday night at Target Field. “I feel as fresh as I’ve been mentally and physically. Everything feels good, so I think that’s the hardest part to deal with.”

Ryan, who is 7-7 with a 3.60 ERA and 147 strikeouts in 23 starts this season, will now be sidelined as the Twins begin the season’s key stretch.

“It’s definitely hard to digest right now,” said Ryan, whose team entered Saturday night a game-and-a-half back of Cleveland for first place in the American League Central after sweeping the Guardians in a doubleheader Friday.

“It’s been awesome watching the guys have so much success (Friday). I’m just going to try and be here with the team, be involved and probably spend a little more time in the dugout being here and being around it.

“It’s just weird timing when it comes to the year. You’re excited — thinking about so many things for the rest of the season. Then, all of a sudden, it’s like wait, you have to do some other things now.”

But while the injury is frustrating, Ryan doesn’t believe it’s something that will affect him long-term.

“The region that it’s in is probably the best-case scenario,” he said. “It doesn’t seem like it’s going to be something that’s going to linger or be an issue going forward.

“It’s just going to take a bit to recover.”

On Friday, Baldelli wouldn’t say Ryan’s season is over, and the pitcher himself is holding out hope he might be able to return for a potential postseason run.

“Last year was the most fun I’ve had on a baseball field for a long, long time,” said Ryan of the Twins’ ending an 18-game postseason losing streak and sweeping the Wild Card series against Toronto in 2023. “Hopefully, I don’t have to miss that part of it.

“But if I do, I’ll still be right here cheering everyone on.”

Blewett back in the bigs

Ryan’s spot on the roster is being filled by right-hander Scott Blewett, whose contract the team selected from Triple-A St. Paul Friday.

Blewett went 5-2 with a 3.66 ERA and 52 strikeouts in 36 games (three starts) for the Saints this summer. The former second-round draft pick of the Kansas City Royals last appeared in a major league game on Sept. 19, 2021.

Minor league stints in the Chicago White Sox (2022) and Atlanta Braves (2023) organizations followed, as well as a stretch with the Uni-President Lions of the Chinese Professional Baseball League in Taiwan beginning in August of last year.

He signed a minor-league contract with the Twins in January.

“There were moments when it felt so far away,” he said of a return to the majors. “I’m just grateful for the opportunity here this year. I was able to throw the ball pretty well in Triple-A. Now I have this chance.”

Blewett considered walking away from the game as he approached his 26th birthday in 2022. He’d said he’d gotten his real estate license in Arizona and was considering working in that field.

“After the lockout (which ended in March of 2022), I didn’t even know if I’d have a job (in baseball),” he said. “I set a deadline for myself with my birthday coming up. My birthday was on April 10, and the White Sox signed me to a minor-league deal at 5 p.m. on April 9.”

Baldelli said Saturday that he expects Blewett to lend a hand in whatever role is needed.

“He’s a big, strong guy with a really good arm,” Baldelli said. “He did some good things for us in St. Paul. He’s going to be called up here to help us in any way, shape or form that we need him to.

“His job right now is to lock in on the way that we function here in the clubhouse preparation-wise so that when he steps on the mound, he’s ready to go. I’m sure he will be. He’s been around the game a long time.”

Ryan, Stelmaszek inducted into Twins HOF

Former general manager Terry Ryan and former coach Rick Stelmaszek became the 39th and 40th members of the Twins Hall of Fame when they were inducted in a ceremony prior to Saturday night’s game.