There still is a level of uncertainty regarding what direction the Minnesota Twins will take at the MLB trade deadline. The only thing that is certain is that Byron Buxton won't be going anywhere as the All-Star outfielder expressed his desire to remain with the Twins, and he holds that right with a full no-trade clause. Fellow Twins' All-Star, starting pitcher Joe Ryan, recently entered the rumor mill with the suggestion that he could be on the move if the Twins fall out of contention.
However, the idea of trading Ryan is not a conversation the Twins are having at the moment. FanSided's Robert Murray emptied out his notebook with the latest intel he is hearing, including where things stand with the Twins and their All-Star starting pitcher.
"The Minnesota Twins have yet to have conversations with other teams about right-hander Joe Ryan and at 47-49, have not had any conversations about selling, sources say.
Twins trade deadline fears ease after insider reveals key update
It does make sense that the Twins haven't entertained the idea of selling at the deadline. At the All-Star break, despite being two games under .500, the Twins are only four games out of the final Wild-Card spot in the American League. For a team that went 18-8 in May, a hot stretch of play in the week following the All-Star break could have them a part of the postseason picture.
The catch, however, is that this is also a Twins' team that 9-18 in June. Volatility has defined the Twins' season, and for that reason, the sense is that the front office won't make a move at the deadline that moves the needle significantly in any direction.
That is why the idea of the Twins moving Ryan, despite the haul of prospects they could fetch, never made complete sense. After missing the postseason in 2024 and on track to be on the outside of the postseason picture this season, 2026 will need to be a season where the goal is to contend. Ryan at the top of the Twins' rotation would certainly help that cause.