As so often happens, in the final minutes before the 2025 MLB trade deadline, a significant amount of misinformation whirled through Twitter, particularly from one notable legacy media account. At 4:37 PM CT on July 31, FOX Sports: MLB’s official Twitter account posted that Minnesota starting pitcher Joe Ryan had been traded to the Boston Red Sox, per insider Jon Morosi. The post was quickly deleted, however, confusing fans of both franchises and Ryan himself.

Obviously, no such trade was in place. Later, separate reports confirmed that a deal for Ryan was “not even close,” citing that Boston approached Minnesota’s front office too late in the process. Regardless, Boston did discuss Ryan with Twins decision-makers. That’s reason enough to believe the two clubs could re-engage in talks this offseason, with Minnesota being more motivated to move the All-Star starting pitcher.

Before July 31, Ryan was one of the best starters in baseball, generating a 2.82 ERA, a 3.23 FIP, and a 137-to-24 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 121 1/3 innings pitched. However, he has significantly regressed over nine starts since, posting a 5.24 ERA, a 5.27 FIP, and a much less inspiring 48-to-14 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 44 2/3 innings pitched. Despite poor results, Ryan’s stuff and movement profile have remained relatively steady post-deadline, signaling that this rough stretch of starts is likely the result of him throwing the most innings of his major-league career and battling through fatigue, rather than a meaningful, long-term regression in skill and performance.

That being the case, Ryan should garner considerable interest on the trade market this offseason. Even though Minnesota could reduce its payroll to the $100-110 million range this upcoming offseason, Ryan’s expected to make between $6-7 million next season, a price range Twins ownership could easily stomach. Possessing two more seasons of cost-effective team control, Minnesota could hold onto the 29-year-old right-handed hurler. Yet, given the package Boston was allegedly willing to offer, it’s worth re-opening the conversation about dealing him.

According to WEEI’s Rob Bradford, the Red Sox proposed various packages in exchange for Ryan, including Boston’s top pitching prospect, Payton Tolle (left-handed starting pitcher); second-ranked prospect Jhostynxon Garcia (right-handed hitting outfielder); and third-ranked prospect Franklin Arias (right-handed hitting shortstop). Now, acquiring Tolle, Garcia, and Arias for Ryan is massively unlikely, especially given how poorly Ryan has performed since the deadline. Yet, there is reason to believe Minnesota could net two of Boston’s top prospects, considering the value encompassed by frontline starting pitchers.

In July, Derek Falvey prioritized acquiring young players who could immediately impact the major-league club, including Taj Bradley, Alan Roden, and Mick Abel. Tolle (13 1/3 innings pitched with Boston) and Garcia (nine plate appearances with Boston) fit a similar mold.

Arias, 19, arguably possesses the most talent of the three. However, given that he was promoted to Double-A less than three weeks ago and is still a teenager, it seems unlikely that he would be able to contribute at the major-league level until 2027. Tolle and Garcia are the more appealing targets.

If Minnesota were to send Ryan to Boston for Tolle and Garcia, the two prospects could become immediate fixtures for the parent club. Tolle (22 years old) would contend with Bradley, Abel, Simeon Woods Richardson, David Festa, Zebby Matthews and others for starting rotation spots to begin 2026. Given his struggles at the highest level this season (6.08 ERA and 5.99 FIP), Tolle could benefit from continuing to fine-tune his arsenal and pitch grips at Triple-A. However, he would instantly become one of Minnesota’s most highly-touted pitching prospects, and maybe Ryan’s successor at the top of the rotation.

Like Tolle, Garcia has struggled in minimal exposure to the bigs (82 wRC+ over nine plate appearances). Yet, the right-handed-hitting outfielder could immediately insert himself into the club’s outfield mix, becoming a high-upside option in a position group saturated with left-handed bats. The power-hitting 22-year-old could slot in alongside Byron Buxton, Matt Wallner, Trevor Larnach, and Austin Martin early next season, with a potential long-term outlook of being a central piece in Minnesota’s next formidable outfield alongside Walker Jenkins and Emmanuel Rodriguez. (Of course, it’s also possible one or more of those incumbents is in another organization by the spring.)

Parting ways with Ryan would understandably tighten the knot that has resided in Twins Territory’s collective stomach since ownership announced significant payroll cuts following the 2023 postseason. Still, a return package of Tolle and Garcia would ease the sting ever so slightly. The Twins are entering a new era, and even though ownership’s purse strings might continue to tighten, that doesn’t mean the team can’t return to contender status in the near future. Acquiring Tolle and Garcia could accelerate that timeline, even if it comes at the cost of parting ways with a fan favorite.