Joe Ryan was famously traded from the Rays to the Twins at the 2021 deadline as part of the deal that brought Nelson Cruz to Tampa Bay for its postseason push and veteran leadership in a clubhouse that saw its future in Wander Franco. Fast forward a few years and Ryan looks like an ideal candidate to add to the Rays rotation.
Ryan profiles as a strong number two starter thanks to a deep arsenal, deceptive release traits, and an ability to generate swing-and-miss with multiple shapes, including a sweeper nicknamed The Alien.
He’s coming off a career high in innings last season (171) and is currently on pace to land in a similar range this year. As his fastball usage has declined, Ryan’s overall performance has continued to improve, and he’s arguably having the best season of his career. He’s someone who could help take this rotation to the next level late this summer and into the postseason.
For a Rays club that will carefully manage the workloads of Shane McClanahan, Griffin Jax, Steven Matz, and Drew Rasmussen, adding another durable starter like Ryan would provide both quality and much-needed stability.
Similar to what I wrote about in the Rays trading for Skubal, I think it starts with one of Brody Hopkins or Nathan Flewelling. I don’t think the Rays would entertain moving Theo Gillen for a year and a half of Joe Ryan. Given the trajectory of Gillen’s stock, he may already be too valuable to include in that type of deal.
The market for starting pitching is always competitive, so it would require a mild to moderate overpay to acquire Ryan. A package centered around Hopkins or Flewelling likely wouldn’t be enough on its own. The Rays would probably need to include another prospect from the next tier to make their offer competitive. This next tier of prospects includes:
It would sting to give up one of them in addition to Hopkins or Flewelling, but that’s the cost of a higher end starter at most trade deadlines.
Minnesota has the luxury of patience. With another season of team control remaining after 2026, they don’t have to move Ryan. That leverage is exactly what makes him such a difficult player to acquire, but also what makes him one of the most appealing targets for a team like Tampa Bay that’s trying to maximize both this postseason run and next year’s rotation. Joe Ryan may not be the best pitcher available, but his extra year of team control means he could cost nearly as much to acquire as Tarik Skubal.
