What a Joe Ryan trade would mean for the Cubs rotation

Bill Streicher - USA Today Sports

Dustin Riese · Senior Writer · 4 hours ago

It's hard to believe that we have surpassed the quarter mark of the MLB offseason, as we are now more than 25% of the way through. Granted, there is still plenty of time to make some moves, but with the Winter Meetings coming up in a few weeks, you have to imagine that the wheels will be turning sooner rather than later.

When it comes to the Cubs, most, if not all, of their fans are sitting on their hands while they await their team to do something this offseason. Sure, Shota Imanaga and Colin Rea returned on new one-year deals while the Cubs added Phil Maton, but apart from that, things have been quiet on the Northside. That is an all-too-familiar feeling for a franchise that seems to be one step behind everyone else, and the longer they wait to make a move, the less likely it is to happen.

Despite proving that this team needs more offense, especially a power-hitting bat that can fit into the middle of their lineup, Jed Hoyer and Carter Hawkins seem content to add more pitching, as you can never have enough starting pitching. Putting together a brand new bullpen from scratch has to be at the top of their list, but the Cubs could also use another big-time arm.

Michael King and Tsatuya Imai appear to be the names linked to the Cubs at this point, but seeing what Dylan Cease got as a free agent may hinder the Cubs' plans. Knowing that, any starting pitching addition from here on out may come from the trade market, as the Cubs certainly have the assets to get a deal done.

Even if there are endless possibilities when it comes to trade options, the Cubs have one name in particular on their mind as Minnesota Twins right-hander Joe Ryan appears to be the name the Cubs are targeting the most. The 29-year-old righty has gone from middle of the rotation arm to Twins ace over the past few years and was one of the biggest names being talked about during the trade deadline.

Although a move never came, the Cubs were one of the teams linked to Ryan at that point, and it's only a matter of time before the Cubs hear their name linked to him and other targets this offseason. Initially a seventh-round pick by the Rays out of Cal State Stanislaus in 2018, Ryan was traded to the Twins in 2021 as part of the Nelson Cruz deal.

He made his MLB debut later that season against the Cubs and faced the Cubs twice, with one of those starts an 11-strikeout game. Since then, Ryan has become a reliable, dependable arm who has gone from a middle-of-the-rotation starter to the ace of the Twins staff.

His 3.79 ERA certainly isn't ace-worthy, but when you look under the hood, the underlying peripherals are much better and are much closer to an ace-level pitcher than most would expect. His 4.5 bWAR season in 2025 was a career best, and he continues to post a very strong strikeout to walk ratio, which is all you can ask for from a starter.

Armed with a 94-96 MPH heater, Ryan is a fastball-first guy, but it's his slider that has taken him from being just a regular starter to the ace of the Twins staff. Pair that slider with an 87 MPH change-up, and Ryan has three pitches to go to at any point in the count, and that alone is huge for any starting pitcher.

While it will take one of, if not both, Owen Caissie and Moises Ballesteros to get a deal done, trading for Ryan won't come with as much capital as a guy like MacKenzie Gore or Sandy Alcantara.

You also have to look at his fit with the Cubs and not only will Ryan turn 30 this season, but after making three million last season and a projected $5.8 million in 2026, Ryan falls right into the Cubs financial plans as he isn't a free agent until after the 2027 season and would give the Cubs an ace quality pitcher for a bargain rate.

Two seasons ago, there was zero chance of the Twins trading Ryan, but with the team in limbo regarding ownership and watching them trade virtually everyone away but Ryan in 2025, the time is now for the Twins to strike a deal. Minnesota is in rebuild mode, and the best way to speed up your rebuild would be to get rid of a player like him in exchange for some top-flight prospects, which the Cubs have.