Joe Ryan Instagram activity raises questions about Twins trade chatter
On Wednesday, B/R (Bleacher Report) Walk-Off made an Instagram post "predicting the 10 biggest bombshells of the 2025-25 offseason." Among those bombshells included the San Francisco Giants acquiring Joe Ryan from the Minnesota Twins, and Ryan hit the "like" button on the post, creating speculation among Twins fans.
It's unclear why Ryan liked the post. It's possible the Twins ace just clicked the like button without thinking. Maybe he didn't even see the slide with the prediction that he gets moved to San Francisco. On the other hand, there is a good chance that he saw the post and liked the idea of becoming a Giant this offseason. He is from California, after all.
If Ryan, who is under team control through the 2027 season, wishes to be traded to another team, he can request a trade. The Twins obviously don't have to honor that, but they likely would, as the front office would probably like the idea of shedding Ryan's salary for the next two seasons while adding more young talent, especially with a lockout in 2027 seeming inevitable. If the Twins want to keep Ryan next season and ensure he remains happy in Minnesota, the team needs to make some moves to improve its roster this offseason.
If the Twins want to be competitive next year, holding onto Ryan is probably the best course of action, even if teams offer tempting trade packages. The Twins have an abundance of starting pitchers, but a lot of them are still unproven. Having a healthy Pablo López and Ryan leading the rotation is vital if the Twins want to return to the postseason.
As for the Giants, the team is seeking starting rotation depth, so attempting to acquire Ryan would make sense for them. "We’re most definitely open to trying to add some arms that we think are going to help us on the starting side and the bullpen side,” president of baseball operations Buster Posey said to MLB.com. Unfortunately for the Giants, the Red Sox likely have a better chance of acquiring Ryan, as Boston has a stronger farm system and more young offensive players it can afford to lose.