Should the Twins Have Cashed In on Joe Ryan and Pablo López?

[bjorks]

54 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

With what hitters? What is the Bradley Jax question? The Brewers absolutely traded a guy like Lopez ...

People complain they don't have enough prospects, and also don't want them to trade veterans.. .

We have a middle of the pack offense as is, I think there's going to be a minimum in the $150+ million range meaning the Twins will have to spend on someone/body. 

Nobody would trade Bradley back to the TB for Jax. It's a stupid argument. 

[Coach]

When we are playing again, with both of them in the rotation, we will cash in.  Hopefully cash in even more when their value goes up!

[TheLeviathan]

5 hours ago, bjorks said:

We have a middle of the pack offense as is, I think there's going to be a minimum in the $150+ million range meaning the Twins will have to spend on someone/body. 

Nobody would trade Bradley back to the TB for Jax. It's a stupid argument. 

We have a middle of the pack offense driven by multiple unsustainable aspects.  

Trading Jax for Bradley is a great example of why we should've dealt Ryan for Tolle and Arias and why Lopez should've been moved as well.  I'd feel a helluva lot better about 2027 and forward if we had.  Now?

They are going to need a lot to go right to even pretend they are contenders.  Starting with the lottery.

[darin617]

Jeffers should have been traded at the deadline 100%. 

If there are winter meetings I would be actively shopping Ryan.

[soyouresayingtheresachance]

The problem with these kinds of decisions is if you trade players like Ryan and Pablo, you still need to replace them. You're not going to replace their production for what you're paying them currently. Sure we'll get some prospects back. But with that formula, you just keep pushing the carrot down the road. 

 

[Bangkok Twins Fan]

I hope the Twins do NOT try and trade Lopez. Good pitcher, good character, good influence on his teammates, and he will be most eager to come back from his injury and contribute next season. He is a keeper. But yeah, I think it made  sense to try and trade Ryan. He was coming off another excellent first half but showing  signs that he most likely won't sign an extension with the Twins. Trade him while he still has some value. I can't foresee any scenario where he is pitching for the Twins two years from now. 

[Whitey333]

Yes im of the group that says they should have traded them both.  For a team on a payroll decline Lopez is way out of their price range.  Ryan  continues history career path of having very good first halfs then poor 2nd halfs.  Thus has been the third straight year hr has had bad second half.  Yes injuries are a part of it.  But ryan injuries and poor play in 2nd half are concerning.  Teams like Tampa and Milwaukee with smaller payrolls are successful in part because they are not afraid to trade star players and continually restock and reinvest.  The Twins need to establish some direction.  Otherwise they will continue on this rudderless boat heading nowhere.

 

[MeleMouth]

When they decided not to bring back Sonny Gray and not to add anyone better than Trevor Richards to a competitive team, they were admitting that, as structured, they weren't going to be competitive with the best teams. At that point, they should have gone full steam ahead for a different structure and traded Ryan, Lopez, and anyone else who would bring back good future assets (not Outmans or deep minors pitchers with a less than 5% chance to ever have 1.0 WAR), instead of listing at sea the last few years. If they had done that, they could have been very good next year. 

[MGX]

Starting with the 2025 deadline sell off we have seen the same thing we've seen for years with this organization. The lack of a real plan & following through on that plan. It seems as though this Ownership/FO combination for years can't get on the same page & pick a lane. 

When you go out & sign Carlos Correa then follow that up & solidify the roster around him to make a real effort at winning. When you trade nearly 1/2 your active roster including the 5 highest leverage relivers then follow that up & build for the future.

Instead what we get repeatedly from the top of the organization is going right down the middle so they don't have to commit either way. The top decision makers in the organization should be able to develop a plan & commit to it. 

[Mike Sixel]

30 minutes ago, MGX said:

Starting with the 2025 deadline sell off we have seen the same thing we've seen for years with this organization. The lack of a real plan & following through on that plan. It seems as though this Ownership/FO combination for years can't get on the same page & pick a lane. 

When you go out & sign Carlos Correa then follow that up & solidify the roster around him to make a real effort at winning. When you trade nearly 1/2 your active roster including the 5 highest leverage relivers then follow that up & build for the future.

Instead what we get repeatedly from the top of the organization is going right down the middle so they don't have to commit either way. The top decision makers in the organization should be able to develop a plan & commit to it. 

Great post. 

[Richie the Rally Goat]

13 hours ago, soyouresayingtheresachance said:

The problem with these kinds of decisions is if you trade players like Ryan and Pablo, you still need to replace them. You're not going to replace their production for what you're paying them currently. Sure we'll get some prospects back. But with that formula, you just keep pushing the carrot down the road. 

 

They shed $30m in payroll last trade deadline and offseason. They are having their third consecutive 2nd half collapse in a row, they’re having their second losing season.

this team ranks 25th in runs allowed (not much to replace) 736, the hitters rank 9th in runs scored 681. Hitters and pitchers average age is 28

While I continue to believe that last year’s deadline trading away 10 major leaguer’s was a mistake, they did it and should have capitalized last offseason on the remaining contracts, OR invested heavily back into the team to make it actually competitive. They did neither and we watched more of the same.

the same goes for this offseason. Go all-in on the youth, or invest heavily on competing. No half measures.

[Twins 72]

I have always believed next year was the year to really contend. Everything from this year should have been to make next year's team a playoff team. To do that you need a blend of experience with the young core. We are far enough in with Lopez and Ryan that you should just keep them and put together the best starting rotation they can. Lopez, Ryan, Bradley, Abel, Preliepp would be pretty good. Pair that with a pen that is much better now and will be competent at the start of the year will be huge. Hopefully with Jenkins and Culpepper in the lineup all year, they will be a good hitting team. Lewis is the guy that is interesting. Will they keep him and hope that a full year at first base will help him or will they move on from him. Clemens, Lee, Keashall, Buck, Culpepper, Jenkins should all be back. Catcher is the question mark. Next year should be interesting. 

[killercarewoliva]

On 9/12/2026 at 10:40 AM, Mike Sixel said:

They could have them signed two legit players.....

About two thirdd of the people here would have approved off the trades, at least amount the regulars. 

there can certainly be plenty of opinions on this. not that one's more right than another. I have my opinion and let's go back to when free agency began and salaries went as high as the Moon is from the earth making everybody have to pay through the nose to go to sporting events. ultimately whatever game it is you're paying big bucks for. it's still just a game. I am a major devoted twins follower since the middle 1960s. The Minnesota twins have hired back then and even now some of the greatest young men on and off the field which is why I follow the twins all the way from the state of Virginia. to my point is there used to be the players generally stayed with the same team and the fans knew who their team was and wanted to support those people. with free agency there is a continuation of players changing the teams they play for because they can with the rules. when there was no free agency, sometimes the players might not want it to stay on that team, but the fans didn't always know that they just rooted for them. to have removed the number one and number two starter both or either one of them I feel would have caused major dissension amongst the fans trying to get them to the ballpark because of the previous several years. hey honey you want to go to the game tonight. oh well sweetheart. who's playing? we'll see when we get there. well that's a slight exaggeration but I feel they should have kept both players and they did. and another reason why is when their time comes where they can be a free agent. the Minnesota twins can't afford to pay most of them, so you better keep the ones you can as long as possible when you live in that situation so the fans can get some kind of familiarity with what in the world is on the ball field.

[darin617]

10 hours ago, Bangkok Twins Fan said:

I hope the Twins do NOT try and trade Lopez. Good pitcher, good character, good influence on his teammates, and he will be most eager to come back from his injury and contribute next season. He is a keeper. But yeah, I think it made  sense to try and trade Ryan. He was coming off another excellent first half but showing  signs that he most likely won't sign an extension with the Twins. Trade him while he still has some value. I can't foresee any scenario where he is pitching for the Twins two years from now. 

You trade Ryan because I don't think he wants to stay here. They already screwed up on getting something for Jeffers.

[twinstalker]

The Twins were offered Franklin Arias and Peyton Tolle for Ryan in a year that was over and before the next season in which they had no realistic chance to compete in.  What do you think?

[Historyking88]

Yes they should have! Would rather have Tolle from Boston right now. 

[MeleMouth]

On 9/12/2026 at 8:47 AM, PuckettPond said:

A fire sale is needed. Trade anyone of value bringing back youth, enthusiasm, talent, hope & change. Give the fans something to believe in. This year's trade deadline moves were Awful getting players in trades where we could get in free agency this winter. They helped get us losses not wins.

One thing to note about this summer's trades is that all three teams who got prospects from the Twins in exchange for their veterans had a better record than the Twins after the trades. They were all too happy to get something of value in exchange for players they were planning to jettison.

[Linus]

I would say they definitely should have traded Ryan. I’m not sure about Pablo because there wasn’t that much excess value in his contract meaning the return wasn’t going to be a haul. I’m afraid the same situation will exist with Ryan after his arb award. 

[bean5302]

On 9/12/2026 at 12:15 PM, LyleCole said:

During the Mauer-Mourneau-Santana-Liriano years if they just bring the payroll up, they are real contenders for the World Series and probably recoup all of their incremental investment.  They had good young stars and good supporting players, a high level closer.   They just had to rely too much on guys like Rondell White and Lew Ford and Nick Punto.   

You mean like in 2010 when the team was 11th in opening day payroll and 2011 when the team was 9th? Or when they played at the Metrodump?

It seems lost on people the Twins extended Mauer to one of the largest contracts of all time. The Twins extended Morneau, Nathan, and Cuddyer as well. They're not going to out spend the Dodgers.

[killercarewoliva]

22 hours ago, killercarewoliva said:

there can certainly be plenty of opinions on this. not that one's more right than another. I have my opinion and let's go back to when free agency began and salaries went as high as the Moon is from the earth making everybody have to pay through the nose to go to sporting events. ultimately whatever game it is you're paying big bucks for. it's still just a game. I am a major devoted twins follower since the middle 1960s. The Minnesota twins have hired back then and even now some of the greatest young men on and off the field which is why I follow the twins all the way from the state of Virginia. to my point is there used to be the players generally stayed with the same team and the fans knew who their team was and wanted to support those people. with free agency there is a continuation of players changing the teams they play for because they can with the rules. when there was no free agency, sometimes the players might not want it to stay on that team, but the fans didn't always know that they just rooted for them. to have removed the number one and number two starter both or either one of them I feel would have caused major dissension amongst the fans trying to get them to the ballpark because of the previous several years. hey honey you want to go to the game tonight. oh well sweetheart. who's playing? we'll see when we get there. well that's a slight exaggeration but I feel they should have kept both players and they did. and another reason why is when their time comes where they can be a free agent. the Minnesota twins can't afford to pay most of them, so you better keep the ones you can as long as possible when you live in that situation so the fans can get some kind of familiarity with what in the world is on the ball field.

in that recent message I'm referring to before we knew Joe Ryan's ability to pitch was going to fall apart. he could have two more starts and not even give up a run and I don't think you could get as much for him as you would before these issues he's currently having.

[LyleCole]

2 hours ago, bean5302 said:

You mean like in 2010 when the team was 11th in opening day payroll and 2011 when the team was 9th? Or when they played at the Metrodump?

It seems lost on people the Twins extended Mauer to one of the largest contracts of all time. The Twins extended Morneau, Nathan, and Cuddyer as well. They're not going to out spend the Dodgers.

Exactly.   If they add one higher end hitter to that lineup they are contenders for the World Series rings....   but they didn't so they were just good enough, with limited exceptions, to sneak into the playoffs and get bombed by better overall teams.

THE WINDOW WAS THERE.  The ownership refused to make the commitment.