Since it was first mentioned as even a remote possibility, Boston Red Sox fans have been dreaming of Craig Breslow landing Joe Ryan from the Minnesota Twins at the MLB Trade Deadline. However, over the past week leading up to the July 31 deadline, any optimism about a potential deal seemingly fizzled out. But at the 11th hour with only five-to-six hours remaining until the official 6 p.m. ET deadline on Thursday, there's renewed hope for the Red Sox to land the right-handed Ryan.
It started as Red Sox insider Chris Cotillo reported for MassLive.com on Thursday, the Twins weren't expected to deal Ryan or star reliever Jhoan Duran at the deadline. Yet, on Wednesday night, Minnesota traded Duran to the Philadelphia Phillies for two Top 100 prospects according to MLB Pipeline, Eduardo Tait and Mick Abel. And Cotillo reported that executives on the Red Sox and otherwise are now wondering if the Twins could sell it all and if Ryan could actually be had.
Adding to that, Section 10 and Baseball is Dead podcast host Jared Carrabis reported on the Underdog MLB Baseball is Dead trade deadline live stream on Thursday that the possibility of the Red Sox trading for Ryan is back on the table, even if it's not a guarantee.
Regarding a Joe Ryan trade:@Jared_Carrabis is NOT saying or guaranteeing it will happen but he’s back in on the possibility.
— Garrett Mashburn (@G_Mashburn) July 31, 2025
If our Tribal Chief is in, I’m in. pic.twitter.com/9IYEwcZWzo
Now what remains to be seen is if Craig Breslow has the gall to make such a trade, one that could be quite expensive, but also worth it.
For more news and rumors, check out MLB Insider Robert Murray’s work on The Baseball Insiders podcast, subscribe to The Moonshot, our weekly MLB newsletter, and join the discord to get the inside scoop during the MLB season.
Red Sox get a Joe Ryan lifeline at the trade deadline
While any starting pitching depth of quality would help the Red Sox, fans came into the deadline with the hopes that they would acquire a bonafide No. 2 starter behind Garrett Crochet. Ryan is by far the best option to fill that role who Boston has been connected to, and the fact that it's gaining steam leading up to the trade deadline only makes that more interesting.
Through 20 starts this season, Ryan has a stellar and career-best 2.82 ERA with an 0.923 WHIP. He's been an ace in Minnesota and would give the Red Sox an ideal rotation with Crochet, Ryan, Brayan Bello, Lucas Giolito, and some combination of Walker Buehler, Richard Fitts and Kyle Harrison to fill out that group. After adding Steven Matz to the bullpen on Wednesday night, that could be a huge addition.
And it's also a move that the Red Sox should feel freely aggressive enough to make. After taking two of three against the Twins, they entered Thursday 1.5 games ahead of the Mariners and Rangers and in the second wild card spot in the American League, just one game back of the rival Yankees. Adding a player of Ryan's caliber, no matter the cost, and having him for two more years of control beyond 2025 would set Boston up to truly contend this season, make the postseason almost surely for the first time since 2021, and have an even brighter future.
How much would the Red Sox have to trade to land Joe Ryan?
Again, though, the cost of acquiring Ryan with 2.5 years of control remaining is going to be high. For Duran, Philadelphia gave up two of their Top 5 prospects who were in the MLB Pipeline Top 100. So what would the Red Sox conceivably have to give up?
My guess would be that conversations would start with SS/2B Franklin Arias (No. 33 in MLB Pipeline Top 100, No. 1 Red Sox) and LHP Brandon Clarke (No. 81 in Baseball America Top 100, No. 4 Red Sox). Arias could also be swapped for outfielder Jhostynxon Garcia as the headliner position prospect in the deal depending on what the Twins would want.
From there, the package would still be substantial, and I would suggest the possibility that at least one more Top 10 prospect and another Top 20 prospect would be needed, at minimum, to pry Ryan from the Twins. Obviously, that depends again on what Minnesota is prioritizing, but seeing someone like No. 6 prospect LHP Connelly Early and No. 18 prospect OF Allan Castro also being dealt could be conceivable.
Again, it all depends on what Breslow is willing to give up at the trade deadline. The price is going to be high, but the Red Sox have the prospect depth to afford just about anything. If Ryan is back on the table, fans have to be begging this front office to do what it takes to get the deal done, as long as that doesn't include an ask of Roman Anthony or Marcelo Mayer.