The Red Sox pursued Ryan ahead of the trade deadline this past season, but were turned down by the Twins.
Joe Ryan was named an All-Star with the Twins last season. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
December 5, 2025 | 4:30 PM
2 minutes to read
The Red Sox can cross one name off their offseason wishlist.
Pitcher Joe Ryan is among the group of top players the Twins “don’t anticipate” trading this offseason, The Athletic‘s Ken Rosenthal reported Friday. That group reportedly also includes outfielder Byron Buxton and right-handed pitcher Pablo Lopez.
Ryan has been linked to the Red Sox since the summer, with Boston reportedly inquiring about the All-Star righty ahead of the trade deadline in July. But Boston and Minnesota weren’t able to come to terms on a deal.
Ahead of the offseason, it was widely speculated that the Red Sox would pursue a trade for Ryan again this winter. However, the Red Sox’ first two notable moves this offseason might have been a sign that they don’t anticipate the Twins moving Ryan this offseason. They acquired standout right-handed pitcher Sonny Gray from the Cardinals in November before acquiring right-handed pitcher Johan Oviedo from the Pirates on Thursday.
In the trade for Oviedo, the Red Sox gave up one of the players they reportedly offered for Ryan ahead of the trade deadline, outfielder Jhostynxon Garcia. Boston’s offer for Ryan included Garcia and some of its other top prospects, including Payton Tolle and Franklin Arias, WEEI’s Rob Bradford reported in August. The Twins, though, wanted the Red Sox to include either Jarren Duran or Wilyer Abreu, The Athletic‘s Dan Hayes reported shortly after the trade deadline.
If the Twins were willing to move Ryan this offseason, he would’ve been a strong option for the Red Sox to help fill their need for a dependable arm behind Garrett Crochet in the starting rotation. The 29-year-old went 13-10 with a 3.42 ERA, 1.035 WHIP, and 194 strikeouts in 171 innings pitched over 31 appearances in 2025. He earned his first All-Star nod as a result.
Of course, there’s still the possibility that the Twins move Ryan down the line. But members of the Twins organization believe that Minnesota can compete in the AL Central this upcoming season, according to Rosenthal.
Ryan has two seasons left of team control, though. So, if the Twins have another underwhelming season in 2026, he would likely become a prime candidate to get moved at the trade deadline this upcoming season or next offseason.
For now, it appears the Red Sox might be positioning themselves to add a hitter as their next big move. With the Winter Meetings set to begin on Monday, most of the recent rumors surrounding Boston have been over its pursuit of a few of the top free-agent hitters available this offseason.
The Red Sox have been linked to Kyle Schwarber, Pete Alonso, J.T. Realmuto, Kazuma Okamoto, and others. Boston’s also reportedly in the running to sign Alex Bregman, who became a free agent after opting out of his contract with the Red Sox.
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