Red Sox reportedly showing interest in breakout starter

Boston Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow has made his trade-deadline intentions clear many times: He would be a buyer, not a seller. 

Now with his team back above .500, he is looking to make good on his word.

All season long, the Red Sox have struggled to string together quality starts. Up until the Rafael Devers trade, which left a noticeable power gap in their lineup, the rotation was their most glaring weakness. Reportedly, finding a new starter to pair with Garrett Crochet is still Breslow’s top priority.

According to MLB insider Jon Morosi, the Red Sox are one of “a number of teams” closely watching Minnesota Twins breakout starter Joe Ryan. The 29-year-old righty is on pace to throw the best season of his career, pitching to a 2.76 ERA with 116 strikeouts and earning his first All-Star nod. His 0.891 WHIP, like his ERA, is also at a career low. 

In an injury-shortened 2024 season, Ryan finished with a 3.60 ERA, just a short cry from his career-low 3.55 ERA. Over his five-year career, he has never recorded fewer strikeouts than innings pitched, posting an SO9 (strikeouts per 9 innings) of 10.0. 

Ryan is owed $3M this season. He will become a free agent after 2027. For the Red Sox, this would mean adding a reliable frontline starter with a few remaining years of control at an affordable price. The question that clouds any trade scenario is whether the Twins would consider dealing him this year.

Sporting a 45-48 record, the Twins are just four games back in the Wild Card race. When considering both their record and Ryan’s years of control, a Joe Ryan trade seems improbable. If he is to be traded, the Twins will likely seek players already in the majors, such as Jarren Duran or Wilyer Abreu.