The Major League Baseball (MLB) opening day is Thursday, 7 April and two Tokyo 2020 silver medalists will experience opposing feelings when the season starts.
The Minnesota Twins manager Rocco Baldelli announced that right-handed pitcher Joe Ryan would be his opening day starter.
On Wednesday, it was announced the Twins' game against the Seattle Mariners was postponed a day due to bad weather.
The 24-year old appeared in two games for the United States at the Tokyo Olympics. He went six innings against Israel on 30 July, earning the win, and left after 4.1 innings with a no-decision in the game against Korea on 5 August.
Ryan was traded by the Tampa Bay Rays to the Minnesota Twins on 22 July 2021 while he was getting ready for the Olympics. At the time, he had pitched in just 50 professional games, including 13 at the Triple-A level.
Ryan made his MLB debut on 1 September against the Chicago Cubs.
Meanwhile, veteran third baseman Todd Frazier announced his retirement.
Frazier, 36, starred at the WBSC Americas Qualifier, going 6-for-15 with a couple of home runs.
Before featuring as the starting third baseman for USA manager Mike Scioscia at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
Nicknamed The Toddfather, he was a fan-favourite in his eleven-year MLB career. He played in 1,244 games for six clubs: the Cincinnati Reds, Chicago White Sox, New York Yankees, New York Mets, Texas Rangers and Pittsburgh Pirates. While with the Reds, he was voted twice to the All-Star Game.
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