New York Mets showing interest in Joe Ryan

Ryan's name began to emerge ahead of the 2025 trade deadline, as the 29-year-old was fresh off of his first All-Star selection. The Twins also began to sell off parts including Carlos Correa, Harrison Bader, and Jhoan Duran, so it appeared likely that they were prepared to get a haul for their star pitcher.

It was even falsely reported that the Boston Red Sox did pull off a deal for Ryan in the waning seconds of the trade deadline. Since then, there have been conflicting reports with USA Today insider Bob Nightengale recently stating that the two teams simply "[ran] out of time,” while ESPN's Jeff Passan and Kiley McDaniel claim that they "never came close to finalizing a deal."

Regardless, Ryan wasn't traded and instead finished a stellar campaign in Minnesota where he posted a 3.42 ERA with 194 strikeouts across 30 starts. But now with a full offseason to field offers for their star player, Minnesota could be awaiting a huge return from one of the many pitching-needy clubs.

The Mets, of course, are among those teams. But they are uniquely positioned to trade for Ryan because of what they will be able to give up. New York saw all three of their top ranked pitching prospects make their MLB debuts last season with Nolan McLean, Brandon Sproat, and the aforementioned Jonah Tong each making multiple starts.

The young pitchers had varied success, with McLean looking to be the most polished and big-league-ready of the bunch, seemingly making himself untouchable for the Mets moving forward. And while Tong struggled at times, the 22-year-old showed flashes of the tremendous stuff that made him nearly unhittable in the minor leagues last season.

As a young and highly coveted prospect, it is not surprising that a rebuilding team like the Twins would be in on Tong. But Heyman's report is encouraging for the Mets because it sets up a potential centerpiece of a package that not many teams could match. Following the trade of Marcus Semien, the club could also be more willing to move top infield prospect Jett Williams if it meant landing a frontline starter like Ryan.

It will take an aggressive package to lure Ryan away from the Twins. With two more years of team control and seemingly growing value, Minnesota can afford to be patient with their righty hurler and wait to be blown away by a deal. But the Mets have the prospects to dangle and the financial capabilities to extend Ryan if they can acquire him. As the offseason progresses, look for Ryan's name to continue to pop up as a perfect fit in Queens.

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