Red Sox Named Best Fit for All-Star Twins Ace Joe Ryan

The Boston Red Sox are named the best fit for Minnesota Twins ace Joe Ryan at the MLB trade deadline.

Red Sox Named Best Fit for All-Star Twins Ace Joe Ryan originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

At the MLB trade deadline, the Boston Red Sox are expected to pursue starting pitching. They have solid trade assets to land a high-leverage starter who could pair with Garrett Crochet atop the rotation.

For ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan, there is one player who would be the best fit for the Red Sox at the trade deadline, and it's a player who's been linked to Boston before.

Passan named Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Joe Ryan as the best fit for the Red Sox. He listed the team's most significant need as a "high-end starting pitcher," which Ryan would satisfy.

"Maybe they pony up to get Ryan," Passan wrote. "Seeing it the same way they did in the four-prospect haul it took to land Crochet, but for now, at least, they simply haven't been willing to go there."

Jun 20, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora switches pitchers against the San Francisco Giants in the sixth inning at Oracle Park. Eakin Howard-Imagn ImagesEakin Howard-Imagn Images

Boston is interested in Ryan, and the Twins are open for discussion. However, the Red Sox are balking at the Twins' asking price for Ryan. While he's a great starter, there's some risk that the Red Sox might not be willing to take.

Ryan's 2025 season has been his best in his big league career so far. Through 19 starts and 20 appearances, he has a 2.63 ERA, a 10-4 record, and 132 strikeouts through 116.1 innings pitched.

He also earned his first All-Star nod, and at 29 years old, he is also under team control through 2028. His age, performance, and club control make Ryan one of the most expensive assets at the trade deadline.

But that isn't stopping Passan from naming him the top fit for the Red Sox. If Boston could bring him in, their starting rotation would be significantly improved. Pairing him with Crochet would make for a great 1-2 punch.

While Passan paints a bleak picture at the moment for a Ryan trade, the Twins ace is still Boston's top trade target at the deadline.

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 23, 2025, where it first appeared.

Category: Baseball