The Red Sox have an important offseason ahead of them with a lot of questions, including whether they want to beef up their starting rotation for a second straight year.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan released his “perfect” offseason moves for each MLB team, and believes Boston should revisit trying to acquire the Minnesota Twins’ star pitcher.
“At the trade deadline this past season, the Red Sox believed they were close to landing Joe Ryan, an elite arm who had his best year yet for the Twins in 2025,” the MLB insider wrote. “As long as Red Sox ownership keeps the financial clamps on chief baseball officer Craig Breslow, he’ll need to get creative in improving a Red Sox team that’s already quite good.
“Revisiting what he missed at the deadline is the simplest way to do so, and as much as the Twins say they want to win in 2026, they understand: Now is the time to strike,” Passan continued, “and dealing Boston another front-line starter to pair alongside Garrett Crochet is the way to do it.”
While the Red Sox and the Twins were in talks for Ryan during the MLB trade deadline, things fell apart because Minnesota wanted a package that started with either Jarren Duran or Wilyer Abreu, The Athletic’s Dan Hayes reported.
The Red Sox didn’t budge, and talks fell apart between the two teams due to Boston’s unwillingness to offer an “enticing enough package of their top-tier prospects,” Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic reported.
It’s likely Ryan will be available again this offseason, and the Red Sox could try again to acquire the right-hander.
Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow said at the GM Meetings that the Red Sox will look to add a front of rotation starter.
“If we’re going to make a starting pitching addition, I think it should be somebody who can pitch at the front of a rotation, start a playoff game for us,” Breslow said.
Ryan would fit nicely as Boston’s No. 2 starter behind Garrett Crochet — who the Red Sox acquired last offseason from the Chicago White Sox.
In 30 starts for the Twins last season, Ryan went 13-10 with a 3.42 ERA, 1.035 WHIP and 194 strikeouts.
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