Minnesota Twins seeking to trade either Joe Ryan or Pablo López to lower debt
The Minnesota Twins are trying to decide whether to trade Joe Ryan or Pablo López in an effort to reduce the organization's debt, according to USA Today's Bob Nightengale. Both starting pitchers are under team control through the 2027 season. López is owed $43 million over the next two years, while Spotrac projects Ryan to earn $6 million in 2026 before he enters the final year of his rookie contract.
Last month, Twins president of baseball operations Derek Falvey said he plans to keep both Ryan and López. Still, Nightengale's recent report shouldn't surprise Twins fans, given that the team traded nearly 40% of its MLB roster this past summer to reduce payroll and add young talent.
But would trading López or Ryan make much of a dent in the Twins' reported debt accrued under the Pohlad family? Sure, it would reduce a bit, but not by much, relatively speaking.
The fact that the team's debt is still an issue, to the point that ownership feels it has to move on from one of the best starting pitchers in baseball, is concerning, especially given the announcement of the minority investors made four months ago. Many fans likely hoped the addition of minority investors would help alleviate the debt to the point where the team could keep Ryan and López and add a big free-agent name or two. Unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be the case.
If Ryan or López gets traded, at least the Twins have plenty of starting pitching depth. However, none of the team's starters are as good as Ryan or López. It feels like moving one of them would significantly reduce the team's chances of returning to the postseason. Star center fielder Byron Buxton is also now willing to waive his no-trade clause, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan, which the veteran slugger would likely happily do if one of Minnesota's aces gets dealt.
If the Twins plan to move López or Ryan for a package led by an established star position player, then maybe fans can understand. However, if the primary motive for dealing one of the starting pitchers is to reduce the organization's debt, the return package would likely only be prospects. If that's the case, Minnesota most likely won't return to the playoffs for a long time.