Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- If the Minnesota Twins decide to fully embrace a rebuild, their ace pitcher, Joe Ryan, could be on the move at the trade deadline.
- Landing this high-end arm would give the St. Louis Cardinals a major boost in their unexpected division race this season.
- The deal would require the Cardinals to give up several key prospects, but could reshape their playoff chances and future outlook.
The Minnesota Twins haven’t had a change of heart as of yet and are not planning on trading ace Joe Ryan at the trade deadline. Things can change, though, and if the Twins decide to fully embrace the rebuild — which they probably should — Ryan could be one of the biggest pieces to offload at the deadline. If Ryan is available, don’t be surprised to see the St. Louis Cardinals in play for the righty. It would make sense for the Cardinals to land a high end pitcher like Ryan for a couple of reasons. The biggest reason is it will help the Cardinals keep their distance from the Chicago Cubs.Â
In a season that wasn’t supposed to be this promising, the Cardinals have to capitalize on the perfect opportunity to not only compete in the MLB playoffs, but to build toward a more stable future. Chaim Bloom has already had a strong start to his tenure as president of baseball operations. Reaching the postseason and then landing Ryan in the process would already have him in great favor with Cardinals fans.
What would it take for the Cardinals to land Joe Ryan at the deadline?
When you take a big swing, it costs a lot to pull it off. That’s what the Cardinals would be surrendering in a trade for Ryan, arguably the second best arm at the deadline behind Tarik Skubal. Quinn Mathews is really the key to this trade. He’s a young prospect, the No. 6 in the Cardinals farm system, and is as ready as he’ll be to debut in the majors. This would give the Twins an arm that could turn into a key part of their rotation in a few years.Â
As for JoJo Romero, well it’s no surprise the Twins need bullpen help and with Romero on an expiring contract, the Cardinals offload him and give the Twins a chance to either re-sign him or at worst, get some short term usage out of him. The Cardinals bullpen has been particularly good and if it comes down to Romero or Riley O’Brien, it would make sense to keep O’Brien. They’ll have a quality closer that is still under team control and could be a major part of the bullpen moving forward.
Deniel Ortiz is a young prospect that could turn into a contributor for the Twins down the road. He’s still in High-A ball, but he’s just a 2024 draft pick so he still has time to grow and if he’s on pace to reach MLB in 2027, it’s something worth gambling if you’re Minnesota.Â
Why the Twins should ultimately part ways with Joe Ryan
The Minnesota Twins had a surprise firesale at the deadline last year. This year, it shouldn’t feel like a surprise. For one, the Twins are third in the AL Central division and with the Cleveland Guardians and the Chicago White Sox atop the division and a 6.5 game lead in hand, the Twins are better off rebuilding rather than trying to contend. Byron Buxton is on a heater and will probably end up dealt at the deadline and holding on to Ryan just doesn’t make sense if Buxton gets traded.
Ryan will be a free agent after the 2027 season so it just makes sense to move on from him now while he can yield a massive return. The Twins have no reason to bring him back after his contract is up if they’re not competing so moving on from him at the deadline – with this possible return – feels like a smart move.
Should St. Louis give up their future for Joe Ryan?
It’s an interesting question and one that wouldn’t have made sense when the season started. But the Cardinals are in the midst of a division race against all odds. Why pass up on the chance to bolster this roster while you can rather than get complacent and potentially miss a championship window? That’s what this move is about and the Cardinals, while giving up some prospects, still retain some of their bigger prospects to keep them focused on building for the future.Â
There was a though that maybe Jordan Walker could be part of this deal and I think that comes down to when this deal is done. If it’s done before Byron Buxton is dealt then maybe the Cardinals would need to add Walker; if not, they can get away with keeping one of their hot bats. Either way, the Cardinals should be looking at this as a prime opportunity to expedite the rebuilding period in St. Louis.
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