Four Trade Packages That Actually Make Sense for Joe Ryan

[Cody Christie]

Image courtesy of © David Richard-Imagn Images

Joe Ryan is exactly the type of player every contender covets at the MLB Trade Deadline. He has developed into one of the American League's most consistent starters, earning an All-Star selection while posting another sub-3.50 ERA season. Better yet, Ryan isn't a rental. He remains under team control through 2027, making him one of the most valuable starting pitchers who could realistically be available this summer.

That's why his name continues to surface in trade speculation, even as the Twins insist they want to add rather than subtract. If Minnesota remains in the Wild Card race, Ryan isn't going anywhere. However, if the club falls out of contention over the next two weeks, the front office would have to at least listen. Pitchers with Ryan's production, durability, and affordable contract rarely become available, and the bidding would be fierce.

Diamond Centric currently ranks Ryan as the third best trade deadline candidate behind Mason Miller and Tarik Skubal. There’s no guarantee that either of those arms gets moved, so Ryan could be the top player traded at the deadline. Here’s what Diamond Centric said about Ryan:

Quote

There’s no actual evidence that starting pitching becomes more important in the postseason than it is for the rest of the year, but that doesn’t stop teams from pining for starters who clear a certain bar for reliability and bat-missing capability. When he’s right, Ryan is that kind of starter. He’s tracking toward what would be his second straight All-Star appearance, and despite a minor elbow scare in early May, he’s taken the ball every turn through the rotation. He doesn’t throw as hard as many of the game’s elite starters, but he has two fastball shapes, multiple breaking balls, and sometimes a splitter that can devastate lefties. He’s always racked up great strikeout rates with his wide arsenal’s disparate movement, and he’s so good at inducing chases that he rarely walks people. So far this year, he’s also toned down what was his bugaboo in the past: giving up too many homers. It hasn’t been enough to truly keep the rebuilding-on-the-go Twins afloat, though, and everyone involved knows the team would prefer to maximize the value they get from him by trading him this summer, rather than waiting until the winter (when teams will cough up much less) or next summer (by which point they’ll have had to pay him another several million dollars). Ryan’s career has followed an unfortunate pattern whereby he often peters out a bit in the second half, but if he holds up well through the All-Star break, he’ll be one of the hottest names on the rumor mill on the other side of it.

Not every contender has the prospect capital to make a competitive offer. Some farm systems simply can't match Ryan's value, while others line up almost perfectly with what Minnesota should seek in return. Instead of focusing only on potential destinations, these are four realistic trade packages that could make sense for both sides if the Twins ultimately decide to move one of their biggest stars.

New York Yankees

Twins fans would hate this, but the Yankees are never shy about making aggressive moves when they believe another World Series run is within reach. With questions surrounding their rotation and several key injuries throughout the roster, adding an All-Star starter like Joe Ryan would immediately become one of the biggest deadline upgrades available.

New York also has one of the deepest farm systems among contenders. If the Twins are going to move Ryan, they need impact talent at the top of the return, and that conversation should start with George Lombard Jr. The 21-year-old has developed into one of baseball's better infield prospects and is close enough to the majors to envision him helping Minnesota as early as next season.

To make the value work, the Yankees could pair Lombard with left-hander Elmer Rodríguez, another upper-level prospect with mid-rotation upside. Minnesota would land a potential everyday infielder and another young arm capable of joining its next competitive core. That's the type of package it should demand for a pitcher with Ryan's résumé and another season of club control.

Seattle Mariners

Few organizations can match Seattle's collection of young talent, which makes the Mariners an intriguing trade partner. If Seattle wants to maximize its current championship window, it may need to trade from an area of strength. Ryan would slide into the front of the rotation immediately and give the Mariners another proven arm for multiple postseason runs.

The return starts with Kade Anderson, one of the top pitching prospects in baseball. His combination of stuff, command, and projection gives him legitimate top-of-the-rotation potential. Pairing him with infielder Michael Arroyo would give Minnesota another consensus top 100 prospect who is already knocking on the door of the upper minors. Arroyo's advanced approach at the plate and offensive upside would add another potential impact bat to an organization that has prioritized position-player depth.

This proposal offers the Twins the best of both worlds: a potential frontline starter and an advanced middle infielder with everyday upside. Premium starting pitching is one of the hardest assets to acquire, and adding a player like Arroyo gives Minnesota an impact position player who could arrive in the big leagues on a similar timeline as the club's next wave of prospects.

Los Angeles Dodgers

The Dodgers seem to find themselves connected to every impact player at the trade deadline, and Ryan would fit their model perfectly, especially with his California roots. Los Angeles doesn't need another back-end starter, it needs someone capable of starting Game 2 or Game 3 in a postseason series.

Unlike Seattle, the Dodgers' strength is position-player talent. Their system is loaded with athletic outfielders who may eventually struggle to find opportunities in Los Angeles because of the organization's major league depth.

Mike Sirota and Eduardo Quintero would be an appealing combination for Minnesota. Good news for Twins fans is that both players are right-handed to add to the team’s left-handed heavy prospect list. Sirota brings impact power and athleticism, while Quintero has quietly developed into one of the organization's better all-around offensive prospects. Together, they would give the Twins two legitimate everyday position-player candidates without sacrificing years of team control.

The Dodgers have repeatedly shown they're willing to move prospects for proven major league talent. If Ryan becomes available, this feels like the type of deal Andrew Friedman would seriously explore.

San Diego Padres

If one team is going to be part of a blockbuster, it might be San Diego. The Padres have spent the last several seasons chasing another deep postseason run, but injuries have once again exposed their rotation depth. Ryan would immediately become one of the club's most dependable starters while remaining under control beyond this season.

San Diego’s farm system is depleted after multiple years of blockbuster trades. Any conversation between Minnesota and San Diego would likely begin with Ethan Salas, San Diego’s lone top 100 prospect. Despite an up-and-down development path, Salas remains one of baseball's premier catching prospects and possesses the type of ceiling organizations rarely make available.

To match Ryan's value, the Padres could include left-hander Kruz Schoolcraft, a towering pitching prospect with frontline upside if everything clicks. Minnesota would walk away with a potential big-league catcher and another premium arm, giving the organization impact talent at two premium positions. However, Minnesota spent its first two draft picks on catchers last week, so the Padres might not have the prospect capital to make this trade. 

The Twins aren't actively shopping Ryan (yet), nor should they be. A pitcher with his combination of production, durability, and affordable team control is exactly the type of player every organization hopes to build around. If Minnesota stays in the playoff race, keeping Ryan gives the club its best chance to compete this season and next.

However, every player has a price. If the Twins find themselves slipping out of contention before the deadline, Ryan instantly becomes one of the most valuable starting pitchers available. That means the return can't be centered around organizational depth or lottery-ticket prospects. Minnesota should be targeting players who project as future everyday contributors or impact starters. The types of prospects capable of becoming foundational pieces for the next winning core.

Whether it's Lombard Jr., Anderson, Salas, or another elite prospect, the Twins would only have one opportunity to maximize Ryan's value. If they're willing to make that move, the return needs to be significant enough that fans look back in three or four years and understand exactly why the organization pulled the trigger.

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Which package is the best fit for the Twins? Leave a comment and start the discussion.

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[Linus]

I appreciate the specifics of this article. I like the Seattle package the best but would do any except San Diego. My only quibble is that I don’t care if the Twins rally before deadline, Ryan should be traded. 

[Ricky Vaughn]

Yankee prospects are always over hyped. The actual good ones don't get included in trades. The ones that do get included are almost always underachievers.

[LambchoP]

Love the SEA trade. If we trade Ryan, we need controllable, high upside pitching in return. I also wouldn't mind keeping him. SEA is open to trading young controllable SP Hancock apparently. If we can get him for Jeffers and/or Larnach it'd be great. Imagine a 2027 rotation of 

Lopez

Ryan

Bradley

Hancock

Abel

Not bad at all. Then a bullpen of Gomez, Morris, Mathews, Festa. It's a good start.

[clone52]

With the Dodgers I would go with Sirota and 2 of their pitching prospects.

[Twins 72]

I think exploring a trade for Ryan should be done regardless of whether we think we are in contention or not. Every move should be about acquiring talent that will help next year and selling players that will not be here. That doesn't mean you are not concerned with this year, it just means I am not trading for rentals and I am not getting rid of players that can be a big piece for next year. Personally, I would love to keep Joe. Putting a rotation of Pablo, Joe, Taj, Mick, and Conner could be really good next year. The bullpen has gotten some pieces that may stick and you could possibly add Zebby to that mix. Jenkins and Culpepper will give added youth and athleticism. A good mixture of youth and experience would give this group a chance to compete at a higher level next year. 

[chpettit19]

I think there's a 0% chance Seattle is trading Kade Anderson. And if they did, it'd be for offense, not pitching. If the Twins can get Anderson plus in a deal for Joe Ryan, they should get the paperwork filed immediately. I don't think the Twins could get Kade straight up for Joe Ryan.

The package I'd like to see the Twins get back is Cam Caminiti and Eric Hartman from Atlanta. Although, all of these deals are intriguing. Outside of what I believe to be completely unrealistic in getting Kade back. I'd also be surprised to see San Diego move Salas at this point.

[tony&rodney]

The Yankees are mostly set with pitching. Their need is catching and another position player. Jeffers for  Rodriguez is plausible. It doesn't seem like Lombard Jr. would be available.

Seattle is usually cautious about trading top prospects. They need a couple of bats. If the Twins added Jeffers and Larnach there may be a possibility to pry away Arroyo and Anderson. More likely we see Seattle attempt to fill their needs with Hancock as the bait.

The Dodgers dictate terms on most trades because they have managed to pay free agents and develop the best minor league system. The two outfielders mentioned are a good start but the Twins could also get River Ryan  and maybe a flyer as well if Ryan is the guy that LA identifies as a need.

San Diego has sent off a pile of prospects but still have some good pieces to trade. The return in the post is a little light in my opinion. I would want Bradgley Rodriguez and another player besides Salas and Schoolcraft. San Diego isn't exactly a very good match for position player talent. A potential gamble with the Padres would send a slew of Twins prospects (Tait, Rodriguez, plus 3-4 other top 15 Twin prospects) for Mason Miller. I'm not really advocating that type of deal.

The Milwaukee Brewers seldom make huge deadline deals since C.C. Sabathia. One has to wonder if there is a path there.

Boston may be a reasonable trade partner but they tend to drive a hard bargain since getting hosed in the Betts trade.

[DasBat]

22 minutes ago, clone52 said:

With the Dodgers I would go with Sirota and 2 of their pitching prospects.

I agree with this.  If we are trading Joe, which I don't want to do, you need to get some solid pitching back in the deal.  Along with Sirota I'd be going after Zach Root and maybe River Ryan, although I don't like that he's already 27.

I actually really like the Atlanta idea for Caminiti and Hartman.  That seems like the best package mentioned for me.

I don't think Seattle trades Anderson and I don't like the Yankees top pitchers.  Not overly impressed with San Diego's farm, at least not for Joe.

[Captain John]

A proven front-line starter is better than two (or  three) potential prospects in the bush leagues. No, you don't trade Joe Ryan.

[Dman]

If you are trading Ryan, you are looking for pitching, pitching and more pitching.  You can include a position player, but need an upper levels arm to replace Ryan's in the near future then likely a lower level arm with upside further away and then some likely high ceiling reliever type arms to fill things out.  The system weakness is quality arm depth not position players.  I wouldn't trade Ryan for position players I'd just keep him and take the QO.

The Yankee's need Lombard as short is a huge weakness for them right now.  I'd argue Lombard might be more important to them than Ryan.  I like Elmer but he's not enough to make up for losing Ryan.  The rest of the system is pretty ho hum IMO.

As mentioned above Seattle doesn't need pitching in fact they are trading from their rotation to add meaningful bats.  I get that Ryan might be an upgrade, but they aren't trading Kade or a good hitter from their system when those are players they will be ready to plug in next year.

Those are two good outfielder's in the Dodgers deal and righthanded is a bonus for this team, but the Twins need pitching.  Where is the pitching in this deal?  I don't see the Twins lining up with the Dodgers on a Ryan deal unless a third team is involved.

San Diego is a bust move for the Twins.  We don't need a catcher and I think Salas is over-rated as it is.  The young pitcher is a nice get but not enough for Ryan.  

Systems you should look at if you want to make a Ryan trade would be Atlanta and Tampa.  They have the arms to get a deal done.  I doubt Tampa would do a Ryan deal as it would make them look bad trading for a player they let go.  It feels like Atlanta or bust for a Ryan deal to me unless some three team deals materialize.  

The Twins need high end pitching so giving up your best high end pitcher should get a return that replaces it and adds to it. It's really crazy hard to develop an All Star pitcher.  You need to get the right return back.  I don't see any of the deals above matching up well.

[Mike Sixel]

37 minutes ago, chpettit19 said:

I think there's a 0% chance Seattle is trading Kade Anderson. And if they did, it'd be for offense, not pitching. If the Twins can get Anderson plus in a deal for Joe Ryan, they should get the paperwork filed immediately. I don't think the Twins could get Kade straight up for Joe Ryan.

The package I'd like to see the Twins get back is Cam Caminiti and Eric Hartman from Atlanta. Although, all of these deals are intriguing. Outside of what I believe to be completely unrealistic in getting Kade back. I'd also be surprised to see San Diego move Salas at this point.

Agreed on Anderson. Zero. 

[old nurse]

55 minutes ago, Ricky Vaughn said:

Yankee prospects are always over hyped. The actual good ones don't get included in trades. The ones that do get included are almost always underachievers.

Caleb Durbin is about the only player of note Cashman has given up as a prospect.  The Dodgers are even stingier 

[DJL44]

St Louis has a pile of catching in the high minors and some interesting pitching prospects.

[olerud]

The Seattle deal is a pipe dream 0% chance of that happening!!!!! I would love it tho, but yes Ryan needs to be dealt!

[TopGunn#22]

I'm still not sold on the Twins realistic chances to actually make the post season and have any success even if they do.  While Ryan would be great to head our staff next season, I'm open to the idea of trading him if the return is GOOD.

The Padres don't seem to be a good match.  But the Yankees, Dodgers and Mariners DO.  I think adding the Brewers and Red Sox to the mix makes sense. Maybe even the Phillies.  I'd like to see what kind of packages for each of them would be possible as well.

But as good an IF prospect as Lombard is, I'd almost rather get a pitching heavy return for Ryan back.  Carlos LaGrange in addition to Rodriguez?  If I'm trading Ryan to the Dodgers I want River Ryan along with Sirota.  I agree with chpettit19 that it would be VERY HARD to get Seattle to part with Kade Anderson, but he's JUST the type of prospect you shoot for if you trade Ryan.  VERY close to being an MLB pitcher with #1 potential.  Maybe a trade of Ryan and Larnach to Seattle gets it done.  Maybe including E-Rod to get Anderson and Arroyo. I'd have a hard time as a Twins GM saying "No" to Joe Ryan, Trevor Larnach and E-Rod for Kade Anderson and Michael Arroyo. 

It all depends on how "motivated" the Dodgers, Mariners, Yankees and any other teams are to win the World Series.  Joe Ryan could certainly put these teams in a stronger position.  The Dodgers are certainly the favorite at this point.  They already have "a lot" of talented minor league OF's.  Their system wouldn't be jolted too badly giving up Sirota.  But I'd love to get River Ryan and have them throw in Bobby Miller with Sirota for Joe Ryan.  The Dodgers have been sailing along with little to zero contributions from all 3 of these players all season.  Adding Joe Ryan at little cost to the current big league roster would be motivation enough.  Same with Carlos LaGrange with the Yankees.  

I'm not pounding the table to trade Joe Ryan, and doing so would pretty much stick a fork in the Twins for this season.  But if the return were rich, and it certainly should be, with a potential bidding war for Joe Ryan, I'd be inclined to build for 2027 and beyond.  The Tigers are in a similar position.  How realistic is their contention this season?  If Detroit keeps Skubal and then loses him without getting anything back for the 2027 season and beyond, that could be crippling for them.  

Ryan Jeffers should also bring back something pretty nice.  The Twins could look very interesting after this trade deadline.  Maybe not immediately, but with an eye on 2027 and 2028.

[Dman]

37 minutes ago, chpettit19 said:

The package I'd like to see the Twins get back is Cam Caminiti and Eric Hartman from Atlanta. Although, all of these deals are intriguing. Outside of what I believe to be completely unrealistic in getting Kade back. I'd also be surprised to see San Diego move Salas at this point.

I have my concerns about Caminiti but he is the only Atlanta pitcher in the top 100 and a lefty to boot.  I don't see Atlanta giving up Hartman as they need a center fielder thus the Buxton trade talk.  If they were it would be nice to have someone with 70 grade wheels in the system.

I'd build that deal out with Caminiti, one of Murphy or JR Ritchie and Sinnard.  Murphy is close to ready at AAA with decent numbers likely 4th, 5th starter long term.  If Ritchie instead then he is pitching at the MLB level but Ryan could replace him as an upgrade. Caminiti is your long term upside arm to pair with Hill and Wachsmann coming up. Sinnard could be a dominant bullpen arm or if arm holds up a decent starter.  I think something like that could work.  If you don't like Sinnard replace him with someone you do like and maybe some lotto's.  The Twins wouldn't be getting two top 100 prospects, but I think they could get the arms they would need to make a deal with Atlanta.

[Major League Ready]

I would trade Ryan and Larnach for Anderson.  Them, I would trade Jeffers to NY.

[arby58]

The Seattle trade obviously looks the best, but it’s not happening for that obvious reason. Kade Anderson is not going to be traded for what’s left of Ryan’s control, no matter what else you add to the pot (short of Buxton, and he isn’t going anywhere).

[Rigby]

De Paula and Zazueta are favorites of mine from the Dodgers system. Might build out a package of Ryan and Jeffers for Sirota, Zazueta and Morales. River's turning 28 in August and his health has always given me pause.

[DataNerd]

1 hour ago, tony&rodney said:

Boston may be a reasonable trade partner but they tend to drive a hard bargain since getting hosed in the Betts trade.

I believe it was Boston that someone big accidentally tweeted that they had traded for him at the deadline last year.  They have seemed to be interested in him, and a guy like Anthony Eyanson would we the type of guy we would be wanting back.

[chpettit19]

18 minutes ago, Dman said:

I have my concerns about Caminiti but he is the only Atlanta pitcher in the top 100 and a lefty to boot.  I don't see Atlanta giving up Hartman as they need a center fielder thus the Buxton trade talk.  If they were it would be nice to have someone with 70 grade wheels in the system.

I'd build that deal out with Caminiti, one of Murphy or JR Ritchie and Sinnard.  Murphy is close to ready at AAA with decent numbers likely 4th, 5th starter long term.  If Ritchie instead then he is pitching at the MLB level but Ryan could replace him as an upgrade. Caminiti is your long term upside arm to pair with Hill and Wachsmann coming up. Sinnard could be a dominant bullpen arm or if arm holds up a decent starter.  I think something like that could work.  If you don't like Sinnard replace him with someone you do like and maybe some lotto's.  The Twins wouldn't be getting two top 100 prospects, but I think they could get the arms they would need to make a deal with Atlanta.

Isn't Michael Harris their CFer? They could use an OFer, especially with Acuna's injuries, but they also need pitching. Sale is 37 years old. They have Lopez and Perez in their rotation. Strider can't stay healthy. Smith-Shawver is a nice piece. And Schwellenbach. But who is the future in their rotation beyond them? I'd say they need arms in their system every bit as much as they need an OFer.

I'm less position focused as most others. I just want talent. Ceiling talent. As much high ceiling talent as I can get. I'll figure out the details later once I see who can actually get close to reaching their ceiling in the majors. Hartman is quite possibly their best talent, from what I can see. So, he's who I want.

[LA Vikes Fan]

It just seems like with the exception of the deal with Seattle, all of the listed returns were light for Ryan. I don’t want to trade him now, but I am realistic enough to know that he’s probably gonna have to be traded in the off-season if not now. What I want back for him is an established mid rotation starter with at least two or three years of control left, plus more. The plus can be high-end prospects, but the centerpiece of the return has to be someone we can immediately plug into the rotation not a pitcher who might be good three years from now. If we’re going to do that, then we need to trade anybody of any quality on the team and do a teardown and rebuild because otherwise we’re going to have mismatched competitive windows and just be frustrated.

If we’re going to trade Ryan, Seattle might be the best bet but we need George Kirby or Emerson Hancock as the centerpiece coming back along with high end prospects that are at least at the AAA level. May be a deal where we got Kirby or Hancock, Arroyo, plus some high-end prospects for Ryan and Jeffers might work.Seattle needs a catcher badly with Raleigh struggling due to the strained oblique and unlikely to be anything this year and they also need right handed bats. Who knows, maybe he could even put a deal together where we got Kirby and Hancock plus prospects for Jeffers, Ryan, and Lesser prospects. Hard to find one that works frankly.

 

 

[chpettit19]

7 minutes ago, LA Vikes Fan said:

It just seems like with the exception of the deal with Seattle, all of the listed returns were light for Ryan. I don’t want to trade him now, but I am realistic enough to know that he’s probably gonna have to be traded in the off-season if not now. What I want back for him is an established mid rotation starter with at least two or three years of control left, plus more. The plus can be high-end prospects, but the centerpiece of the return has to be someone we can immediately plug into the rotation not a pitcher who might be good three years from now. If we’re going to do that, then we need to trade anybody of any quality on the team and do a teardown and rebuild because otherwise we’re going to have mismatched competitive windows and just be frustrated.

If we’re going to trade Ryan, Seattle might be the best bet but we need George Kirby or Emerson Hancock as the centerpiece coming back along with high end prospects that are at least at the AAA level. May be a deal where we got Kirby or Hancock, Arroyo, plus some high-end prospects for Ryan and Jeffers might work.Seattle needs a catcher badly with Raleigh struggling due to the strained oblique and unlikely to be anything this year and they also need right handed bats. Who knows, maybe he could even put a deal together where we got Kirby and Hancock plus prospects for Jeffers, Ryan, and Lesser prospects. Hard to find one that works frankly.

 

 

What do you see as the Twins competitive window? And who are the guys driving it?

[LeatherAntenna]

Yes, let’s trade Ryan.  Then spend the next several years developing Bradley into something more. Then we trade Bradley..  and then onto the next pitcher…..

[1985Fan]

It would be great to have analysis of past “blockbuster” trades for All Star pitchers. I think it will show that most of the highly rated prospects don’t pan out, similar to what happens with normal player development for every team. Trading a proven All Star pitcher for unproven prospects is a huge gamble. If Tom Pohlad wants to go big as he said, step up and sign Joe. That will reset the narrative about the “cheap Pohlads”. 
I’d rather hear about a contract negotiation than a trade. A bird in hand is worth two in the bush. At some point, you have to build around proven performers on the rosters instead of constantly grasping at lottery tickets (that’s all that prospects are, especially pitching prospects). While Ryan is an All Star, he’s not a number one on a good playoff team, but he is the only proven SP that can be depended on next year. Lopez will be coming off major injury after a year. Everyone else hasn’t shown to be reliable that can be counted on next year and beyond. Unless they’re going full rebuild and not planning to contend next year, they should hang onto proven SP. 

[DasBat]

57 minutes ago, Dman said:

I have my concerns about Caminiti but he is the only Atlanta pitcher in the top 100 and a lefty to boot.  I don't see Atlanta giving up Hartman as they need a center fielder thus the Buxton trade talk.  If they were it would be nice to have someone with 70 grade wheels in the system.

I'd build that deal out with Caminiti, one of Murphy or JR Ritchie and Sinnard.  Murphy is close to ready at AAA with decent numbers likely 4th, 5th starter long term.  If Ritchie instead then he is pitching at the MLB level but Ryan could replace him as an upgrade. Caminiti is your long term upside arm to pair with Hill and Wachsmann coming up. Sinnard could be a dominant bullpen arm or if arm holds up a decent starter.  I think something like that could work.  If you don't like Sinnard replace him with someone you do like and maybe some lotto's.  The Twins wouldn't be getting two top 100 prospects, but I think they could get the arms they would need to make a deal with Atlanta.

I'd be fine with Ritchie or Murphy were part of the package.  Both seem to be solid arms.  I'd definitely push for Hartman as part of it though.  

[bean5302]

Quote

...There’s no actual evidence that starting pitching becomes more important in the postseason than it is for the rest of the year...

Whomever wrote this seems woefully unqualified to have their opinions quoted on this site. The chances a team advances in the playoffs is heavily influenced by their top 3 rotation arms. I've done this analysis before. I think only the 2015 Royals have won a World Series in the past 15-20 years without 3 bona fide playoff caliber starters in the rotation.

Every team that makes the playoffs can score runs. There are no bad lineups. The Padres were the worst team in the playoffs last year in terms of run production, and they ranked 18th in MLB, being the ONLY team not in the top 1/2 of run scorers. 8 of the top 10 scoring teams made the playoffs.

That means, like almost always, it's about pitching. Pitching wins playoffs. Your top 3 starters determine your fate. It's why the Twins kept making the playoffs year after year after year and getting swept right back out. For a professional sports record setting drought. The Twins did not have an ace. They did not have a #2. They had a collection of #3s, and the Twins often had better back end rotation options than other teams. Great for making the playoffs. Not great when you never face an opposing team's back end rotation arms because of short rest starts, series breaks providing extra rest, and meticulous lineup planning. When an ace matches up against a #3 in the playoffs, it is a massive disadvantage for the team putting a #3 on the mound. Massive.

 

[chpettit19]

6 minutes ago, bean5302 said:

Whomever wrote this seems woefully unqualified to have their opinions quoted on this site. The chances a team advances in the playoffs is heavily influenced by their top 3 rotation arms. I've done this analysis before. I think only the 2015 Royals have won a World Series in the past 15-20 years without 3 bona fide playoff caliber starters in the rotation.

Every team that makes the playoffs can score runs. There are no bad lineups. The Padres were the worst team in the playoffs last year in terms of run production, and they ranked 18th in MLB, being the ONLY team not in the top 1/2 of run scorers. 8 of the top 10 scoring teams made the playoffs.

That means, like almost always, it's about pitching. Pitching wins playoffs. Your top 3 starters determine your fate. It's why the Twins kept making the playoffs year after year after year and getting swept right back out. For a professional sports record setting drought. The Twins did not have an ace. They did not have a #2. They had a collection of #3s, and the Twins often had better back end rotation options than other teams. Great for making the playoffs. Not great when you never face an opposing team's back end rotation arms because of short rest starts, series breaks providing extra rest, and meticulous lineup planning. When an ace matches up against a #3 in the playoffs, it is a massive disadvantage for the team putting a #3 on the mound. Massive.

 

Johan Santana did make 5 playoff starts for the Twins. I think he'd probably argue he wasn't a #3 starter.

What were the rankings for runs allowed by playoff teams? Worse than the rankings for runs scored?

[Sampson5]

Only trades that really move me are Seattle & dodgers the Yankees package is cool but I'm not trading any of our best players to a rival but the biggest problem is no chance Seattle trade kade anderson especially when they don't even need pitching if they actually offered that package id take it without a second thought . It's to bad padres don't got any elite prospects anymore they love getting robbed at the deadline still can't believe they gave up one of the next prospects in baseball for a reliever who they are now shopping 2 years later. I'm just hoping that if Ryan is moved the return isn't disappointing like most the trades at the deadline last year were felt like he should of gotten more in all the non rental moves