The One Player the Twins Cannot Afford to Trade Before the Deadline

The Minnesota Twins enter the trade deadline facing a difficult decision: determining which players belong to their next competitive team and which ones can become assets to accelerate that process.

Joe Ryan should not be part of that conversation.

The interest in the 30-year-old right-hander is understandable. In a market where reliable starting pitching carries significant value, Ryan checks many of the boxes contenders are looking for: proven production, experience and contractual control.

In 2026, he owns a 3.38 ERA with 131 strikeouts in 114 ⅓ innings and remains under Minnesota’s control through 2027.

For other teams, Ryan represents a solution for a rotation looking to improve ahead of October. For the Twins, he represents something much harder to find: stability.

The Problem Starts Inside the Rotation

Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Joe Ryan (41). | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The market could give Minnesota a strong return for Ryan, but the biggest question is not outside the organization.

It is inside its own rotation.

The Twins do not have the depth needed to lose their best healthy starter. Pablo López continues recovering from Tommy John surgery, and Minnesota has had to constantly adjust its pitching staff during a season defined by injuries.

The organization's young talent has potential, but they need development. Asking them to immediately fill Ryan's role would rush a process that requires patience.

That is the real cost of a trade.

Minnesota could receive appealing prospects, but it would also have to replace a starter who has provided consistency throughout the season. On a roster with several unanswered questions, Ryan is one of the few answers.

Ryan Still Fits Minnesota’s Next Competitive Window

JOe Rya — Minnesota Twins pitcher Joe Ryan (41) throws a pitch at Target Field. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The decision also depends on how the Twins view their competitive timeline.

If the organization believes it needs a deeper rebuild, listening to offers would make sense. A starter with multiple years of control will always be one of the most attractive trade assets available.

But if Minnesota believes it can compete around the young core it is building, keeping Ryan becomes even more important.

Players like Brooks Lee and Luke Keaschall represent part of the team’s future. But that process requires established players who can provide stability while those young pieces develop.

Ryan fits that profile.

At 30 years old, he is still in a productive stage of his career, and his contract allows Minnesota to keep him while evaluating how the roster evolves. There is no contractual pressure forcing the Twins to move him now.

That flexibility changes the conversation.

His Performance Explains the Market Interest

Teams are not calling only because of Ryan’s contract situation. They are also reacting to his production.

His 27.8 percent strikeout rate and 5.3 percent walk rate show a starter capable of missing bats while maintaining control of the strike zone. His 3.43 FIP supports the idea that his results are tied to the quality of his pitching rather than a temporary hot stretch.

Ryan has also evolved beyond simply relying on his fastball.

The four-seam fastball remains the foundation of his arsenal, but his slider and splitter have given him more options against different types of hitters.

That combination has helped him become a starter who does not depend on one pitch to succeed.

The Decision the Twins Have to Make

Joe Ryan, Ryan Kreidle — Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Joe Ryan (41) celebrates the final out with third baseman Ryan Kreidler (5). | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Listening to offers for Joe Ryan is part of the job for any front office approaching the trade deadline.

Accepting one, however, would represent a decision about the direction of the franchise.

Minnesota would have to determine whether the return from a trade is worth losing an established starter while trying to build its next competitive team.

Prospects can help change the future of a franchise. But Ryan is already solving a problem the Twins still have to address: finding stability in their rotation.

That is why, even if teams continue calling, Minnesota should have one thing clear before the deadline:

Joe Ryan should not be available.

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