The Rays missed on Tarik Skubal, and now the focus has to shift fast.
Tampa Bay was viewed as one of the favorites to land the Detroit Tigers ace if he became available, but the Los Angeles Dodgers ended up getting the deal done. The reigning World Series champs added the reigning two-time American League Cy Young Award winner, while the Tigers received outfielder Zyhir Hope and right-handers River Ryan and Brady Smith. Those three rank Nos. 5, 7 and 17 in the Dodgers’ system.
For the Rays, the loss means the search for rotation help continues. They’ve already been tied to other starters, including Freddy Peralta and Clay Holmes of the New York Mets. Both would help, especially with Shane McClanahan now on the injured list because of a back ailment.
But if Tampa Bay is going to pivot to one name, it should be Joe Ryan.
Ryan is a familiar face in a very specific way: he was the player sent to Minnesota when the Rays brought in Nelson Cruz before the 2021 trade deadline. The Twins are in buyer mode right now, but the Rays have the kind of farm system that could make this conversation real. If they want to chase a top-end starter, they should make the call.
Ryan doesn’t carry Skubal’s ceiling, but he does bring exactly what this rotation needs: stability. He’d fit alongside Drew Rasmussen, Nick Martinez, Griffin Jax and McClanahan once he’s healthy again.
There’s another reason Ryan makes sense for Tampa Bay: he’s not a rental. He’s under team control through 2027, which makes a trade easier to justify if it means giving up a better prospect for more than just a couple months of help.
The Rays’ No. 1 prospect, Theo Gillen, was never going to be part of the Skubal discussions, and he should be off limits in any deal. Even so, Tampa Bay has enough talent in the system to put together a strong offer if Minnesota is willing to listen.
These two clubs have already done business together. Last year at the deadline, Taj Bradley went from Tampa Bay to Minnesota for Jax, who was considered a high-leverage reliever then and has since moved into a starting role.
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One name that has surfaced is a versatile Dodgers outfielder who can handle all three spots and has drawn attention for his work against left-handed pitching. He also comes with multiple years of arbitration control, which makes him the kind of fit front offices tend to circle at this time of year, even if the final asking price is still part of the equation. [Read more 🡒]
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The price was real, though, and it went beyond a simple cash consideration. Minnesota parted with Dasan Hill, John Klein, Dameury Pena and international cap space to get the deal done, a reminder that bullpen fixes often come with long-term costs attached. Hoffman is expected to be part of the picture through 2028, but the Twins gave up multiple pieces in a move that says plenty about how aggressive they plan to be in the months ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Twins Are Sending A Clear Deadline Message With This Pitching Move
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Anderson has already bounced between the majors and minors several times this season, and this latest trip back to St. Paul is expected to be temporary. Still, the transaction says plenty about how Minnesota is approaching this moment: the Twins want pitching depth in place now, and they are keeping enough room open to adjust again as the trade deadline pressure builds. [Read more 🡒]