Twins' Joe Ryan: Not yet back from COVID-19 IL

Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said Thursday that Ryan (illness) is "a tick behind" Gilberto Celestino (illness) in the two players' respective recoveries from positive COVID-19 tests, Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.

Celestino has cleared all COVID-19-related protocols and is participating in a workout at Target Field on Thursday, so Baldelli's comments would seem to imply that Ryan needs at least one more negative COVID-19 test before he's able to report to the team facility. Minnesota is uncertain if Ryan will require a rehab start prior to being activated from the COVID-19 injured list, but because he's been away from the team since testing positive for the virus May 25, he'll almost certainly need an extended bullpen outing at the very least before the Twins are comfortable slotting him back in the rotation. With that in mind, Ryan seems unlikely to make a start during the Twins' upcoming three-game series in Toronto that begins Friday.