Would Tom Pohlad Really Trade Joe Ryan?

Over the next two weeks, the MLB trade deadline is going to dominate the baseball world. Rumors are about to pick up; contenders will start getting aggressive; and sellers will begin weighing whether it's time to cash in on their most valuable assets. The Twins have no shortage of players who should generate interest, with most of the speculation centered around their lineup.

But there's one pitcher whose name has been making the rounds, as well. Not just any pitcher, either: it's their top dog, Joe Ryan. Fellow Twins Daily writer Cody Christie recently wrote a piece about the four options the Twins have surrounding Ryan. They can trade him now, trade him this winter, reevaluate at next year’s deadline, or keep him until he hits free agency. I've shared my belief that trading Ryan ahead of this year's deadline is the right move. If you're going to do it, now is the time.

Waiting until the offseason or next summer only lowers his value. Ryan is set to enter his contract year in 2027, meaning any team acquiring him before this deadline would be getting multiple postseason runs with him instead of just one. He's far more than a rental, and that extra year of team control is incredibly valuable in today's market. The earlier you move him, the more you should expect to receive in return.

That timing also happens to coincide with Ryan playing the best baseball of his career. Despite a blowup start on Monday that pushed his ERA up by over a full run, his numbers remain very strong. Through 114 1/3 innings this season, he's posted a 3.86 ERA while striking out more than five batters for every walk he allows. His ERA+ sits at an outstanding 126, and that number was up at 151 before Monday's outing. He's under team control beyond this season, he's pitching at a very high level, and he's exactly the type of arm contending teams dream about adding at the deadline. The return would likely never be higher.

But here's the bigger question. Even if trading Ryan now makes sense, would Tom Pohlad actually be willing to pull the trigger?

The Pohlad family has taken their fair share of criticism over the years, and that's putting it mildly. Since taking over as the club's primary owner, though, Tom Pohlad has been vocal about wanting to do things differently. He (supposedly) understands the frustration from the fan base, and he knows they want to see ownership fully commit to building a sustainable winner. Trading away your ace probably isn't the message those fans are hoping to hear.

Whether it's the correct baseball decision or not, perception matters. The Twins have already dealt with historically low attendance numbers at Target Field throughout the 2026 season, and while wins and losses are ultimately what matter most, running a baseball organization involves much more than simply fielding the most efficient roster possible. You also have to give people a reason to come to the stadium. Last month provided a perfect example. When Joe Ryan took the mound against Shohei Ohtani and the Dodgers, Target Field was packed. Now, obviously, those fans weren't showing up solely because Ryan was pitching; Ohtani and the Dodgers are one of the biggest attractions in professional sports. But games like that are a reminder that your roster matters. Who you put on the field absolutely influences whether fans feel excited enough to come to the ballpark, and Ryan has become one of the Twins' biggest stars. Removing him from the roster would have consequences that go well beyond the rotation.

There's another factor working against a Ryan trade, as well. The Twins are only 12 months removed from last summer's fire sale. That deadline dramatically changed the direction of the franchise and left a pretty sour taste throughout Twins Territory. Fans watched several important players leave while the organization signaled it was taking a step backward. Another deadline selloff—especially one that includes Ryan–would almost certainly be met with similar frustration, if not more. Even if the long-term return eventually proves worthwhile, convincing fans to be patient all over again would be no easy task.

From purely a baseball standpoint, the argument for trading Ryan is a strong one. His value may never be higher than it is today, and if the Twins don't truly believe they're positioned to make a serious run over the next two seasons, maximizing that value is a logical strategy. But baseball decisions don't happen in a vacuum. There are business considerations, fan relations, clubhouse dynamics, and real consequences that come with moving one of the faces of your franchise.

Trading Joe Ryan wouldn't just reshape the Twins' rotation. It would send a message about where this organization believes they stand, and where they’re headed. I'm still standing firm on my belief that trading Ryan now is the right baseball move, but it also comes with an enormous amount of risk. Not just from a performance standpoint, but from an engagement and morale standpoint as well. And if Tom Pohlad truly wants to show that this era of Twins baseball will be different, shipping off Joe Ryan would certainly be a bold first step.