Joe Ryan’s Unstoppable Surge: Twins Pitcher’s Latest Masterclass Shakes Up the MLB Race

The Minnesota Twins’ rotation could look very different by the July 31 trade deadline, as league sources confirm growing interest in right-hander Joe Ryan from multiple contenders—headlined by the Boston Red Sox. First reported by Bleacher Report minutes before midnight, clubs see Ryan as one of the few front-line starters realistically available in a thin pitching market this summer. Ryan, 29, has followed up a breakout 2024 with an even sharper 2025 campaign: 8-4, 2.87 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and a 122/23 K/BB ratio across 113 innings. Yet despite ranking fifth in the American League in strikeout-to-walk rate, he was stunningly left off the AL All-Star roster earlier this week. The snub has only amplified the spotlight on Minnesota’s de facto ace, whose team-friendly club-control through 2027 makes him one of the most valuable arms on the board. Why Boston is pushing hard • Chris Sale’s recurring shoulder tightness and Tanner Houck’s innings cap have forced the Red Sox to hunt for durable, top-of-rotation help. • Fenway Park’s analytics group values Ryan’s four-seam/slider mix; his 31 percent whiff rate on the elevated fastball profiles well in the AL East’s homer-happy ballparks. • Boston holds a deep farm system after last winter’s Juan Soto near-miss and can headline any package with Double-A slugger Roman Anthony or power righty Wikelman Gonzalez. Minnesota’s leverage President of baseball operations Derek Falvey is under no pressure to sell—Minnesota sits just two games behind Cleveland in the AL Central—and insiders insist the front office will only move Ryan for an overpay that replenishes a depleted pitching pipeline. The Twins entered play Wednesday with the league’s 21st-ranked farm in pitching WAR projections, and both Simeon Woods Richardson and David Festa remain on strict inning limits. What Ryan says “I’m focused on winning here,” Ryan told reporters after limiting Tampa Bay to two runs over six innings Sunday. “The other stuff is noise; it means you’re doing something right.” Privately, teammates admit they were “shocked” by the All-Star omission and hope the slight doesn’t become a self-fulfilling prophecy of a trade. How his profile fits contenders • Red Sox: Acute need, payroll room, prospect capital. • Dodgers: Monitoring but prefer rental depth behind Walker Buehler. • Giants: Ryan is a Bay Area native; San Francisco scouts were at each of his last two starts. • Orioles: Would deal from excess infield talent but are leery of parting with ace-in-waiting Cade Povich. Stat spotlight — 38.4 percent chase rate (5th in MLB) — 54.8 percent of pitches in the upper third, highest among qualified starters — Opponents hitting .172 against his splitter, an offering he has nearly doubled in usage since 2023 Contract calculus Ryan will earn $1.1 million this season and remains arbitration-eligible through 2027. That cost certainty is exactly why Minnesota can demand a premium: projections peg his surplus value above $75 million over the next 2½ years. Potential ripple effects If the Twins do cash in, expect them to pivot to mid-tier rentals such as the Mets’ Luis Severino or the Tigers’ Jack Flaherty while elevating top prospect Marco Raya to a big-league swing role. Conversely, a decision to hold Ryan could push Minnesota toward bullpen upgrades only. Bottom line Joe Ryan’s exclusion from the Midsummer Classic shifted the national conversation from accolades to availability. With Boston upping its pursuit and at least four other clubs lurking, the Twins now hold one of July’s pivotal trade chips. Whether Minnesota ultimately sells, the swirl around Ryan guarantees he will remain one of baseball’s hottest names—and search terms—through deadline day.