The Minnesota Twins keep hanging around the trade-rumor conversation, and Joe Ryan sits right at the center of it.
Minnesota enters play on July 7 at 44-47, still within striking distance at 1.5 games back in the Wild Card race and 4.0 behind the AL Central lead. Even so, the club remains in the mix as a potential seller, a label that has not gone away and may not after the Byron Buxton injury. If the Twins do pivot, Ryan is the name that matters most.
MLB insider Robert Murray of Fansided.com pointed to a path the Twins could follow by looking at the Milwaukee Brewers. In his view, Milwaukee’s willingness to move on from star pitchers like Corbin Burnes, Josh Hader, Devin Williams and Freddy Peralta helped stock the system and keep the team competitive.
"Keep in mind: this is around the time when the Milwaukee Brewers either 1) considered trading or 2) traded their star pitchers in Corbin Burnes, Josh Hader, Devin Williams and Freddy Peralta," Murray writes. "Parting with them ensured they landed the prospect capital to stay competitive."
Murray argued the Twins could take the same approach with Ryan, especially if they don’t view themselves as true World Series contenders in 2026 or 2027. In that case, moving him before free agency would bring back more than waiting for a compensatory draft pick.
As Murray notes, "In the Twins' case, parting with Ryan, and landing a package of prospects, would further bolster an already top-10 rated farm system."
That kind of deal would fit the pattern Minnesota has already shown. The Twins dealt for Jhoan Duran and Griffin Jax a year ago in a move that brought back a useful return from the Philadelphia Phillies and Tampa Bay Rays, and Murray suggested a Ryan trade could follow that same logic.
Ryan would not come cheap. He is an All-Star pitcher, and this season he has a 3.36 ERA with 122 strikeouts in 19 starts. If Minnesota makes him available, interest would be heavy.
Murray’s point was simple: the Brewers showed a route that can work, and if the Twins decide Ryan is the piece to move, they could try to copy it.
In Other News...
Gary Snchez Keeps Creating One Brewers Problem They Cannot Afford
Gary Snchez has been a useful bat for the Brewers this season, but his work at the plate has come with a different kind of attention too. In a year when Milwaukee has the fewest challenges in baseball, Snchez has been one of the clubs most frequent users of them, and his willingness to push nearly every close call has become part of his profile.
The problem is that the approach has not paid off nearly enough. Snchez has piled up more lost challenges than anyone else in the league, and he is responsible for a huge share of Milwaukees hitter challenges, which can matter when a team needs to save those chances for the biggest moments. The Brewers can live with an aggressive edge from a player producing offensively, but they could use a little more selectivity if they want those challenges to count when it really matters. [Read more 🡒]
Jackson Chourio Had Brewers Fans Doing A Double Take Late
Late in the 18th inning, Jackson Chourio gave Brewers fans a rare sight when he stepped in as a left-handed hitter for the first time in his MLB career. The switch came against a slow eephus pitch from Cardinals utility man Bryan Torres, and Chourio nearly turned the moment into something bigger, sending a drive that was caught just short of the warning track.
It was the kind of odd, late-night wrinkle that can only happen in a marathon game, and both Chourio and manager Pat Murphy seemed to enjoy the novelty of it. Murphy noted how unusual the swing was, while the whole scene fit the feel of an extra-inning game that had already drifted well beyond the ordinary. [Read more 🡒]
One Brewers Bat Is Suddenly Looking Like Tonights Power Play
Jackson Chourio has been one of the Brewers most intriguing power bets lately, and the case for him on July 8 starts with how often the ball has been leaving his bat. He has 13 home runs in 57 games, and the recent surge has only sharpened the attention around him as Milwaukee keeps looking for middle-order thump that can change a game in one swing.
The matchup only adds to the appeal, with the Brewers facing the Cardinals and right-hander Michael McGreevy, who has already given up 13 homers in 17 appearances. Chourios success against right-handed pitching has been part of the conversation too, which is why he stands out in this spot even if the final result is still the kind of thing that can turn on one well-placed pitch. [Read more 🡒]