DENVER – Joe Ryan will need to be ready for anything when the postseason begins next week, but at least he won’t have to worry about pitching at Coors Field again.

Ryan surrendered eight hits and six runs across five innings in his final start of the regular season. It was his first time pitching in Colorado’s altitude, and it brought back his issues at preventing the long ball. Ryan gave up three home runs, including a three-run homer to Alan Trejo in the fourth inning.

The Twins hit three homers of their own, and Max Kepler hit a sacrifice fly in the ninth inning to earn a 7-6 victory over the Rockies on Friday.

It was the first time Ryan yielded multiple home runs in a start since a stint on the injured list with a groin injury. He permitted 32 homers, tied for third-most in the American League, in 29 starts this year. There are 14 pitchers who allowed more homers in Twins history, but they all threw at least 28 more innings than him.

The Twins haven’t confirmed Ryan is scheduled to start in the postseason, but he is lined up to start a potential Game 3 in a best-of-three wild-card series. He would receive an additional day of rest between starts, which is what the Twins are doing with Game 1 starter Pablo López and Game 2 starter Sonny Gray.

Much of the damage against Ryan came in a three-batter stretch in the fourth inning against all righthanded hitters. Rockies catcher Elias Díaz, the MVP of the all-star game, lined a one-out double to center field in a two-strike count, connecting on an elevated fastball. Ryan walked the next batter before Trejo lifted a first-pitch fastball over the wall in left field for a go-ahead, three-run homer.

The other two runs against Ryan were solo homers, a leadoff homer in the second inning and a leadoff homer in the fifth inning. Ryan closed his 2023 regular season with a 4.51 ERA and 197 strikeouts in 161 2/3 innings. He added six strikeouts Friday, primarily with his fastball.

The Twins held a 4-1 lead before Trejo’s homer. Michael A. Taylor crushed a 468-foot, two-run homer that sailed over the stands in left field, bouncing onto the concourse, in the second inning. Kyle Farmer blooped an RBI single in the first inning and had a run score on his double play in the third inning.

In the seventh inning, the Twins tied the game through back-to-back homers from Trevor Larnach, who was pinch-hitting, and Ryan Jeffers. Like Taylor, Jeffers hit a homer that cleared the seats in left field.

The Twins put two runners on base in the ninth inning after singles from Jeffers and Farmer. With one out, Kepler lined a ball in front of the warning track in center field to score the game-winning run. Emilio Pagán earned the save.

Polanco exits with injury

Jorge Polanco took an awkward swing in the fourth inning, falling to the ground after he struck out to end the inning.

After two more innings in the field at second base, Polanco was removed because of right ankle soreness, the Twins announced.

Varland enjoying bullpen role

When the Twins initially moved Louie Varland to the bullpen at Class AAA St. Paul, he didn’t love the idea of it. He worked his way to the majors as a starter and he wants his future to be in the Twins’ rotation.

A few weeks later, mixed with dominant results, and Varland feels better about it. He went into Baldelli’s office earlier this week and he told his manager he understood the move.

“He’s as authentic of a kid as you’re going to find,” said Derek Falvey, the Twins’ president of baseball operations. “I think it was a little bit of, like, do we not view him as a starter? It was like, ‘No, absolutely not. We definitely view you as a starter. We just view your role on this team, with the group that we have, to be this bullpen role.’ Then you start talking about how you can use him as a weapon, rather than, ‘Oh, you’re just in the bullpen.'”

Etc.

* After Kenta Maeda pitched out of the bullpen Wednesday, perhaps a sign of his postseason role, the Twins will fill his spot in the rotation with a bullpen game Saturday.

* On a fireworks night, the 102-loss Rockies had an announced crowd of 47,272 on Friday.