MN Twins Relievers Up for Sale… But What About Joe Ryan?

There are a lot of questions surrounding the Minnesota Twins, as we get dangerously close to the 2025 MLB trade deadline. Not only is there believed to be a new mysterious majority owner emerging, but the state of this year’s team is still very much in flux too.

At 47-49, nobody is quite sure whether or not the Twins will look more like buyers or sellers by July 31, when the deadline officially hits at 5 PM CDT. On Friday night, they will open a new series in Colorado against the Rockies, who hold a 22-74 record and stand as one of the worst teams in all of baseball.

If Minnesota can use this weekend’s series to catapult them into a winning two week stretch, it will be difficult for team president Derek Falvey to explain himself as anything other than a deadline buyer. But what if the next couple weeks do not go as planned, on the field, and the Twins fall even further out of contention?

Minnesota Twins will have bullpen arms for sale at MLB Trade Deadline

Well, the assumption is that bullpen arms like Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax, Danny Coulombe and Brock Stewart will all be on trade block, no matter how the next 13 days go. Here’s the latest on that front, from one of Major League Baseball’s top national insiders, Buster Olney (ESPN).

The Minnesota Twins also could play into this question. A lot of the deals this time of year are for relievers, and the perception of other teams is that Minnesota could be a primary source with a lot to offer — hard-throwing closer Jhoan Duran, left-hander Danny Coulombe or setup man Griffin Jax.

Buster Olney – ESPN

Related: Secret High Roller Emerges to Anchor New MN Twins Ownership Group

Should the Minnesota Twins fall further out of contention during this upcoming two-week stretch, however, it’s possible the front office could look to move more significant pieces, most notably starting pitcher Joe Ryan.

On the season, Joe Ryan has been far and away the best and most reliable starter in the MN Twins rotation. A late addition to the 2025 All-Star, Joe has pitched 109.1 innings, posting a career-best 2.72 ERA (3.20 FIP), which is built on an absurd 0.91 WHIP and a 121/23 K/BB ratio.

The second half of the season is underway!

Here's a look at the top pitches of the first half by runs saved, which were expected (based on PLV) to earn [X] fewer runs than a league-average pitch would, for the same number of pitches.

We already know this… but Joe Ryan's… pic.twitter.com/IFhKus2SaF

— Nick Pollack (@PitcherList) July 18, 2025

MLB execs split on MN Twins’ willingness to trade Joe Ryan

Without a doubt, teams will come hard for Ryan, should the Twins get serious about moving him. But will that actually happen, even if they start losing games? Well, Olney asked that exact question to three people he describes as “rival” Twins executives. The conclusion… was mixed.

One of the front office execs that Olney spoke with seems quite confident in Joe Ryan being available. In fact, this anonymous executive went as far as to say Ryan “will be moved by the deadline”. On the other hand, however, the two other execs were far from convinced.

One rival executive believes that All-Star starter Joe Ryan will be moved before the deadline, but two others disagree, saying that their perception is that the Twins would have to be overwhelmed to part with the right-hander.

Buster Olney – ESPN

Related: Injured MN Twins Starters Nearing Return, Including Pablo Lopez…

During the All-Star Break, Joe Ryan told a Boston Red Sox reporter that being involved in trade deadline rumors excites him, and that he wouldn’t mind being part of a blockbuster deal that pushed him out of Minnesota.

But clearly, even within the MLB circle of front office executives, the Twins’ motivation to move such a key piece of their squad remains up in the air, depending on who you ask.