Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- Three teams are emerging as realistic trade destinations for Twins ace Joe Ryan ahead of the August 3 deadline.
- Each package centers on young talent with varying levels of MLB readiness and upside potential.
- The decisions will test how aggressively Minnesota leans into contention versus rebuilding with its window narrowing.
Joe Ryan contributed an inning to the American League's dominant shutout of the National League in Tuesday's All-Star Game. Now, he awaits the second half of the campaign — and the Aug. 3 trade deadline, which looms especially large around a Minnesota Twins team stuck awkwardly between contention and rebuilding.
Ryan, 30, currently has a career-best 2.85 ERA with 128 strikeouts in 110.1 innings. He has made 20 starts, tied for the MLB lead. Ryan's durability has become one of his strongest selling points. With his contract expiring after 2027, the Twins need to weigh the benefits of cashing in at the deadline, when demand for Ryan's skill set will be astronomical, versus standing pat in favor of a fringe Wild Card push.
Let's work through a handful of realistic trades using destinations outlined by ESPN's Kiley McDaniel and Jeff Passan.
White Sox trade package for Joe Ryan
This feels like an appropriate (rough) price tag for Ryan: two top-10 prospects from the Chicago system in right-hander Tanner McDougal and outfielder Jaden Fauske, and a less-heralded prospect ( No. 24 for the White Sox, per MLB Pipeline) in Rikuu Nishida, who's more ready to contribute in the Majors.
McDougal, 23, has flipped between starter and reliever duties in Triple-A this season. He has a monster fastball and puts strikeouts on the board (36 in 29.0 innings), but he needs to fine-tune his command. Minnesota would need to help McDougal lock in on the finer details.
Fauske, a 19-year-old who was Chicago's second-round pick in 2025, is an extremely balanced and productive lefty hitter for his age. He was drafted as a catcher, but the Twins view him as an outfielder.
Nishida, 25, made his MLB debut earlier this season for the Sox. He's a grade-A speedster whose highlight reel consists primarily of gutsy base-running and standout defensive plays in the outfield. He's 5-foot-6 and he does not hit for much power, but there's a clear path to situational utility.
The White Sox are the greatest story in MLB this season, entering the second half of the season atop the AL Central standings. A young, uber-talented team with a bright future, there's no harm in pushing a few chips in. Ryan can help anchor the rotation, which remains Chicago's greatest point of weakness. Ryan and Davis Martin is a postseason-caliber one-two punch not just this year but in 2027 as well.
Blue Jays trade package for Joe Ryan
Opposite the White Sox, Toronto is probably the most disappointing team in the Majors right now. The Blue Jays were in the World Series last October and pushed the two-time reigning champs to the brink. A year ago, Toronto felt like the deepest, most disciplined offensive team on the planet. but something went sideways this season; the vibes are in the dumpster, and the Jays are dead last in the AL East at 45-51.
Given how weak the American League is, with just five teams above .500 at the break, there's still a path to Wild Card contention. Unlike Chicago, the Blue Jays also have a track record of financial aggression, which could help them compete for Ryan's services as a free agent in the winter of 2027. The chance to establish Dylan Cease, Trey Yesavage and Ryan as their rotation headliners is awfully appealing, especially with Kevin Gausman taking a noticeable step back (and due for free agency this offseason).
Ricky Tiedemann only recently returned from Tommy John surgery, but the 23-year-old southpaw has a three-pitch mix that all grades out above average. He can push the upper-90s with his fastball. If his rehab goes according to plan, there's a chance Tiedemann is starting regularly for Minnesota next season.
Gage Stanifer, 22, is another rotation bet for the Twins. A former 19th-round pick in 2022, he's one of several bright spots in a strong Blue Jays farm system. His fastball explodes through the zone with a lot of run, and he can play off of it with an equally unhittable slider. He needs to prove his durability and sharpen his command, but the stuff is electric.
Charles McAdoo, a 24-year-old corner infielder, made his Blue Jays debut earlier this season. He's probably a first baseman at the end of the day, with a concerningly high strikeout rate and limited contributions on the margins. But he squares up quickly and possesses an easy natural power, which gives him a path to regular contributions in the Twins lineup if all breaks right.
Diamondbacks trade package for Joe Ryan
The Diamondbacks are two games above .500 and firmly in the Wild Card hunt. We've seen this song and dance before. Since their World Series appearance in 2023, Arizona has hung around the fringes of contention. The D-backs are not without talent, especially in their lineup, but the rotation is a major eyesore.
Eduardo Rodriguez was an All-Star this season, but there is a steep cliff once his turn in the rotation is over. Merrill Kelly and Zac Gallen are in decline. Michael Soroka, after a strong start to the campaign, is now stuck on the IL. While there's hope for a Corbin Burnes revival down the stretch, expecting his best stuff in the immediate aftermath of Tommy John surgery is ill-advised. The hope would be that Burnes can lock in by October, with Ryan and Rodriguez as their anchor points in the rotation. Also of note: Arizona has shown more willingness than most mid-market teams to pay its best pitchers.
In return, the Twins receive three of Arizona's top 15 prospects according to MLB Pipeline. Demetrio Crisantes, a 21-year-old infielder, has not missed a beat since returning from a 2025 shoulder surgery. He's lighting up Double-A with elite contact metrics. He sees the zone incredibly well and does not leave himself exposed to bad pitches.
David Hagaman, 23, is a talented right-hander with a big fastball and a slow curve that coaxes a lot of swing-and-miss. He needs to show better command and durability, like a lot of young pitchers with injury history, but his stuff is good enough to move quickly through the Twins farm system.
Mitch Pratt, 23, has dominated in Triple-A all season and earned a brief look in the majors as a result. The southpaw does not exhibit the most deceptive arsenal, but the command is elite for his age. He's a flyball pitcher who can get knocked around when he catches too much of the zone, but the ability to avoid free passes should help him stick as a back-end rotation piece, at the very least.
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