Why Twins' Ace Joe Ryan is a Longshot for the Cardinals Explained

Don't get your hopes up Cardinals fans.

May 3, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Joe Ryan (41) throws to the Toronto Blue Jays in the first inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images | Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals are off to a strong start this year despite having entered a rebuild under Chaim Bloom. Younger players have more opportunities to prove themselves and show that they can be a part of the team's future core.

However, it remaiins to be seen what they will do at the trade deadline this coming summer. There are a lot of different possibilities for them to explore as they focus on the long-term goals.

In Daniel Guerrero's weekly Cardinals chat in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, a fan brought up the possibility of a trade for Minnesota Twins' ace Joe Ryan, but Guerrero seemed to pour some cold water on the idea.

"Part of a rebuild is making sure you have clear answers on the core pieces you have for the long-term that you can build around. I think any possible move you make has to consider the long-term," Guerrero wrote on Monday. "I don’t think you start flipping prospects or young players for players with short-term control if you aren’t already in that contending window or on the brink of it, or if you are absolutely sure that you can lock up the player you are acquiring to keep him within the organization for when that window is expected to be clearly open."

Cardinals still not there yet

Aug 28, 2022; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Chaim Bloom, Chief Baseball Officer of the Boston Red Sox on the field before the game between the Boston Red Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images | Winslow Townson-Imagn Images

Ultimately, it's clear that the Cardinals still don't feel like they are in a window to contend for a World Series title just yet. Based on where they are in the standings, that could always change, but the Cardinals still seem to be focused on the bigger picture, and that is where their focus belongs.

The Cardinals still need to determine who is going to be a part of their long-term core and which players to build around. Simply trading top prospects for a short-term rental goes against what Chaim Bloom has been talking about for the past several months, and he has made clear that he wants to stick to the plan rather than deviate from it.

It will be interesting to see what type of approach the Cardinals take, but fans shouldn't get their hopes up about a potential trade for Joe Ryan. While he would make the team better, it doesn't necessarily benefit them in the long-term, which ultimately makes a trade for him highly unlikely.

We'll see where the Cardinals are in a few months.