Could the Giants be a Suitor for Joe Ryan?

The Twins currently possess an accumulation of starting pitchers heading into 2027, potentially making Joe Ryan a name to watch on the trade market this offseason as he enters his last year of arbitration. While Ryan has established himself as a high-end arm over the past few seasons, concerns about with his consecutive second half falloffs has led many to question if he is going to be a Twin long term.

Minnesota’s pitching depth could create an opportunity for the Twins to move what should be a valuable asset in exchange for some help elsewhere on the roster or in the minor leagues. The San Francisco Giants stand out as a fit among trade partners. A potential deal would depend on Minnesota’s willingness to part with the two-time All Star as well as San Francisco’s willingness to trade high-value players or prospects.

It would be difficult for the Twins to trade one of their better pitchers in recent memory. Ryan has been worth 13.7 career fWAR through six seasons in Minnesota, pitching to a 3.79 ERA (3.80 FIP) in 786. total innings. However, his first-half versus second-half splits are a cause of concern. His career ERA in the first half is 3.17, compared to 4.98 in the second half, whereas in 2026 his ERA skyrocketed from 2.85 pre-All-Star break to 6.82 after. Still, Ryan is an elite arm when he is on, and maybe new pitching coach Brian Reith will be able to unlock Ryan’s effectiveness into the second half.

Interestingly enough, Ryan does have some connection to the Giants. He is from San Francisco, so this would be a homecoming for the now 30-year-old. The Giants also took a flier on Ryan in the draft before he went to college, selecting him in the 39th round of the 2014 MLB draft. Of course, Ryan didn’t sign and was selected by Tampa Bay in the 7th round four years later.

So, why would the Giants do this? Outside of Logan Webb, injuries and trades have removed a lot of top options from the 2026 Giants rotation. Robbie Ray and Tyler Mahle were traded to the Padres and Braves respectively at the deadline, while young pitchers like Carson Whisenhunt, Blade Tidwell, Hayden Birdsong, and Trevor McDonald suffered significant elbow injuries in 2026.

President of Baseball Operations Buster Posey has swung big in the past as well, signing shortstop Willy Adames to the largest contract in team history and trading for slugging first baseman Rafael Devers back in 2025. Posey could look to make a few big time moves this offseason to compete in the challenging N.L. West, and one of those moves could be an arm like Ryan to slot behind Webb in the rotation.

As for the Twins, there are lots of options when it comes to the starting rotation in 2027. Ryan, Pablo Lopez, and Taj Bradley would be the clear 1-2-3, but there are too many names for not enough spots. Bailey Ober, Zebby Matthews, Deam Kremer, Connor Prielipp, Mick Abel, and Kendry Rojas could all start games for Minnesota in 2027, so something has to give with the rotation. Moving Ryan may not make sense completely, but if management does not plan on signing him to an extension anyway, they should try to get something for him.

The Giants have the fifth-best farm system according MLB.com, containing five top-100 prospects including the recent #4 overall draft pick, starting pitcher Jackson Flora. Tarik Skubal was traded to the Dodgers at the deadline as a rental this past season for three prospects, two of whom were in MLB.com’s top 100. Ryan is obviously not on Skubal's level as a starter, but with the full year of control versus two months, the return should be in somewhat the same range. He should net at least one top-100 prospect and additional pieces from San Francisco if he were to be moved there.

Ultimately, a Joe Ryan trade could make sense for both sides. San Francisco has the prospect ammo to make a move after their teardown at this past trade deadline, while Minnesota could get good value for a player they may not re-sign to begin with. While his second-half struggles could raise some questions about his overall value, Ryan's track record as an effective, frontline starter at a price tag under $10 million should make him attractive to numerous teams if the Twins were to make him available. San Francisco clearly has the prospect capital to make it happen, so if Buster Posey wants to make an impactful move and put faith back into the hearts of Giants fans, bringing Ryan home to the Bay Area could be an intriguing place to start.

What are your thoughts? Could the Twins trade Ryan to the Giants? Who would you want in return?

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