Twins Reportedly Considering Trade of Joe Ryan or Pablo López to Ease Debt - But at What Cost?
The Minnesota Twins are at a crossroads - one that could reshape the identity of their starting rotation for years to come. According to reports, the front office is weighing the possibility of trading either Joe Ryan or Pablo López, two of the most reliable arms in their rotation, as a way to chip away at the organization’s financial debt.
Let’s be clear: both pitchers are under team control through 2027, and both have been central to the Twins' recent success. López is locked in for $43 million over the next two seasons, while Ryan, still on his rookie deal, is projected to earn $6 million in 2026.
For any team, that’s a solid value for two top-of-the-rotation starters. But in Minnesota’s case, the math isn’t just about ERA and WAR - it’s about dollars and cents.
This isn’t coming out of nowhere. Team president of baseball operations Derek Falvey said just last month that the plan was to keep both pitchers. But given the team’s recent moves - including trading away nearly 40% of the MLB roster this past summer to slash payroll and bring in young talent - the idea of dealing one of their frontline starters feels less like a rumor and more like a real possibility.
Now, let’s talk about the bigger picture. Would trading López or Ryan actually make a meaningful dent in the team’s debt?
Not really. Shedding López’s salary helps more than Ryan’s, but even then, we’re not talking about a transformative financial reset.
It’s a marginal gain, especially in light of the minority investment group that joined the ownership group four months ago - a move many fans hoped would provide enough financial flexibility to keep the core intact and maybe even pursue a big-name free agent.
Instead, it looks like the Twins may be bracing for another round of cost-cutting.
If either Ryan or López is moved, the Twins can at least lean on their solid pitching depth. But let’s not sugarcoat it: no one else in the rotation brings what those two do.
Ryan’s fastball-heavy approach and López’s elite changeup have been key ingredients in Minnesota’s recent postseason push. Trading either would be a step backward in terms of pure talent - and likely a step away from October baseball.
Adding to the intrigue, center fielder Byron Buxton is reportedly willing to waive his no-trade clause. That’s a significant shift, and it’s hard not to connect the dots. If the team is signaling a step back by moving one of its aces, it wouldn’t be shocking to see veterans like Buxton looking for a new situation.
Here’s where it gets interesting: if the Twins were to move Ryan or López in a deal that brings back an established star position player, fans could at least see the competitive logic. That’s a hard move to pull off, but it’s one that could keep the team in the playoff hunt. On the other hand, if the driving force behind the trade is purely financial, and the return is mostly prospects, then it’s hard to see how Minnesota stays competitive in the near future.
This is a franchise that just broke its 18-game postseason losing streak. It finally felt like the Twins were building something sustainable. But if the front office is forced to trade away one of its top arms to balance the books, that momentum could stall - and fast.
So the question now isn’t just who the Twins might trade. It’s why. And if the answer is debt reduction over competitive ambition, fans have every reason to be concerned.