Saturday was not the strongest of outings for Minnesota Twins' All-Star pitcher Joe Ryan, who gave up 5 runs on 6 hits in 5 innings of work during the Twins' loss to the Washington Nationals. It's possible the looming trade deadline was on Ryan's mind, considering the 29-year-old pitcher has suddenly found his name bandied about in trade rumors. Ryan was asked about those rumors after his start on Saturday.
"As far as a trade goes, I don't see it happening. At the same time, it's completely out of my hands. I think we have a good opportunity, years forward, to do something here, so I would like to stay. But like I said, it's out of my control."
While the case can be made that the Twins should move cost-controlled relief pitchers Jhoan Duran and Griffin Jax before the deadline, Ryan isn't as obvious. If the Twins plan to contend in 2026, then it would make sense for the front office to hold onto Ryan. Unless the goal was for the front office to ignite a full rebuild, it would seem that they are approaching this deadline with little urgency to move their All-Star starting pitcher.
Joe Ryan finally addresses all the trade buzz
That said, this is a unique deadline in that there are a limited number of defined sellers, and there isn't a true top-of-the-rotation starting pitcher available. In a trade market where nearly every contender is looking for help in their starting rotation, if there were a season where the Twins were to receive an overwhelming offer for Ryan, it would be this one.
The team to watch for Ryan remains the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs are in the market for a frontline starting pitcher, and with Owen Caissie as a trade chip, that could be an intriguing match for the Twins and what they are looking for moving forward. Caissie, the Cubs' top outfield prospect, is dominating offensively at the Triple-A level and likely is ready for the Major League level.
A prospect like Caissie could be what unlocks a Ryan trade at the deadline. For now, however, such a move doesn't seem all that likely.