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Joe Ryan of the Minnesota Twins.

The 2026 MLB season is in full swing, and with the All-Star break and trade deadline both looming, every game becomes that much more important for every team currently facing the prospects of a place in the post-season, especially in the wide open American League.

One of those teams is the Minnesota Twins, who currently sit just two games back of the final Wild Card spot in the American League. However, with a record of 38-42 placing them third in the AL Central, there’s been plenty of chatter that they could be looking to sell, with the likes of Byron Buxton, Joe Ryan and Ryan Jeffers all names to watch.

Given that they’re just four games under .500, the Twins next few weeks could decide the fate of their future, and with so many trade assets, this is a team to keep a close eye on moving forward.

Could the Minnesota Twins Trade Joe Ryan?

GettyJoe Ryan of the Minnesota Twins.

Out of all of those names, the one that makes most sense to trade is veteran starter Ryan, who has been very consistent in Minnesota over the past several years. Last year, the 30-year-old posted a career best 3.42 ERA for the Twins, being named an All-Star for the first time in his six year big league career.

In 2026, he’s on pace to better that number, as he currently has a record of 5-3 across 16 starts to go along with a 2.99 ERA and 99 strikeouts in just 87.1 innings of work. Whether or not he’s traded will depend entirely on the Twins front office, but if they believe they can’t contend in the American League this season, being sellers make the most sense, with Ryan a player that could net them a significant asset, especially for a team that misses out in the Tarik Skubal sweepstakes.

Joe Ryan Scratched From his Tuesday Start

Amid all this speculation, it has been announced that Ryan will not make his scheduled start on Tuesday against the Los Angeles Dodgers as he continues to deal with illness, with the Twins likely to turn to Kendry Rojas in his place.

While this seemingly doesn’t have anything to do with Ryan’s status in Minnesota as it pertains to a potential trade, with every passing day the trade deadline moves closer, and given the Twins need for young, controllable assets of the future, it’s becoming more and more clear that they could look to move Ryan.

As of late however, the trade speculation hasn’t hindered Ryan’s production, as he has allowed two or less earned runs in 11 of his 16 starts this season, and after five shutout innings in his last start, he’ll be disappointed to miss this one due to illness. Ultimately, Ryan’s time in Minnesota that began back in 2021 is likely coming to an end very, very soon, and while we’ll still see him make another few starts for the Twins before they make a decision on him, unless something drastically changes, his future in Major League Baseball appears to be elsewhere.