Guess Who’s No. 1 on Fresh MLB Trade Deadline Big Board…?

The Minnesota Twins were walked off on Wednesday against the Los Angeles Dodgers. It was the latest unfortunate development for a team that is now 49-53 and staring down the barrel of a selloff.

It’s more than fair to suggest that the current ownership situation has put Derek Falvey and the front office in a bad spot, as has the poor play of Twins players.

Then again, an equal amount of blame should land on the shoulders of the front office, which has failed to get out of its own way at multiple different junctures during its near decade-long tenure. In other words, the failures of Minnesota’s 2025 season is everyone’s fault.

But now, with the MLB Trade Deadline looming, none of that matters anymore. The Minnesota Twins have some of the best players available, of any selling team. Whether buyers are looking for impending free agent rentals or they’re ready for a blockbuster, the Twins have what they need.

Joe Ryan lands No. 1 overall spot on MLB Trade Deadline Big Board

That became even more clear Thursday morning, when The Athletic released a fresh MLB Trade Deadline Big Board, ranking all of the most available players, leading up to July 31. Unsurprisingly, the Minnesota Twins are very well-represented, landing six total names in the top 50.

Nobody who made the list by surprise, but the most notable takeaway? Sitting at the very top, in the No. 1 spot overall, is Twins starting pitcher, Joe Ryan. They name the Chicago Cubs, LA Dodgers and NY Mets as the 29-year-old‘s best fits.

“Minnesota isn’t itching to move Ryan, who is 29 and under team control for two seasons beyond this one, but it’s easy to understand why teams will be calling the Twins about him just in case. Coming off his first All-Star honor, Ryan is a proven front-line starter with a career 3.67 ERA who pounds the zone and racks up whiffs, posting MLB’s seventh-best K/BB ratio since his 2021 debut.

Ryan might be effectively off limits even if the Twins are in seller mode, but some contenders could try to blow them away with an offer. Among all qualified starters the past two seasons, Ryan ranks second to only Tarik Skubal in K/BB ratio (6.1/1) and is also fourth in opponents’ batting average (.207) and 10th in ERA (3.15).”

The Athletic

Put together by Aaron Gleeman, Eno Sarris, Tim Britton, and Chad Jennings, The Athletic’s big board may have Joe Ryan listed as the best talent available. But all 50 players who landed in this article also got a red, yellow or green light to mark the likelihood they are traded. Joe’s light is red, meaning it’s unlikely he is moved between now and July 31.

Nonetheless, if a contending team believes they can slot him in near the top of their rotation for the next two seasons, beyond just a 2025 playoff run, it’s possible they come to the Minnesota Twins with an offer that Falvey just cannot refuse to turn down. But as all of the MLB insiders have made clear, it would have to be a HAUL of a package.

Joe Ryan's Ungodly Sweeper with 30 inches of Horizontal Break…with Tail. 😳 pic.twitter.com/rBCq28amFt

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) April 27, 2025

The reality is that Ryan’s 2.63 ERA is a career-best, and he is now a first-time All-Star. He’s making only $3 million this season, and his next two years will be held down by arbitration.

That reality is beyond enticing for any team looking to bolster their rotation before the postseason, and beyond. If he is traded, Ryan has made it clear that he will not shed any tears.

At the All-Star break, Joe told a member of the Boston Red Sox media that the trade rumors he has been involved in excite him, and that he’d love an opportunity to play for a contender. Could the Minnesota Twins be that again in the near future? Without Joe Ryan to help anchor the rotation, that’s a difficult question to answer.

Lots of other Minnesota Twins make The Athletic’s trade deadline big board

As mentioned at the top of this article, it wasn’t just Joe Ryan who showed up on The Athletic’s trade deadline big board for the Minnesota Twins. They landed six total names. Some are to be expected but there are names that we haven’t heard floated as much, previously.

Jhoan Duran checks in at 6th. Like Ryan, he would be an expensive controllable asset. The Dodgers, among other teams, have checked in on the MN Twins closer. His high-leverage bullpen mate Griffin Jax shows up at 10th overall.

After that, we get to the players who have less control beyond 2025. Will Castro, who will be a free agent this offseason, is listed 24th. He represents a high-quality utility piece that could provide value to virtually any team he lands on.

Outfield free agent signing Harrison Bader is ranked 30th, and starting pitcher Chris Paddack landed the Mr. Irrelevant spot, capping off The Athletic’s trade deadline bigboard at No. 50. His last start against the Dodgers may have teams lining up for a relatively inexpensive addition over the next week.

Related: Minnesota Twins Demanding Insane Return for Talented Relievers

Maybe most interesting Twin who made the list is Trevor Larnach, who slid in at No. 42. Both he and fellow corner outfielder Matt Wallner appear to have flatlined. Larnach is a 28-year-old former first round pick who owns just a .243/.313/.408 slash line this season.

His 97 OPS+ is not far from the career 101 OPS+ mark. Since being selected 20th overall in the 2018 MLB Draft, Larnach has never quite lived up to expectations, after leading the Beavers to a National Championship, in his final year in Corvallis.

It’s fair to wonder what level of confusion a team sale presents the Twins front office. That said, they have done nothing for the better part of the last three years. At this point, it’s time to pick a path.