Reported Red Sox Trade Target May Stay Put This Offseason

The Boston Red Sox made their second notable offseason pitching acquisition by landing Johan Oviedo from the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday night. They may not have the chance to bolster their depth with a certain top-flight hurler.

MLB teams claimed that the Minnesota Twins “haven’t been pushing” to move Joe Ryan this offseason, per ESPN’s Buster Olney and Jeff Passan. Some sources feel the Twins would rather retain the 29-year-old following an All-Star campaign.

Ryan worked a career-high 171 innings in 2025, registering a 3.42 ERA and 194 strikeouts. His 1.04 WHIP ranked right behind Red Sox ace Garrett Crochet for ninth among qualified starters.

Rumors linked Ryan to Boston all summer, and social media spread false reports that the Red Sox had acquired him on July 31. Even Ryan believed the inaccurate tweets that surfaced before the trade deadline, but the Twins kept him.

The hot stove has reignited around Ryan, who has three more years of arbitration eligibility remaining. ESPN named Boston as one of the best offseason trade fits for Ryan, predicting a 50 percent chance of Minnesota moving the right-hander.

While the Twins could exchange Ryan for a considerable haul, they may prefer to reload for a 2026 run after a disappointing 70-92 season. Meanwhile, the Red Sox could focus their sights on offense after making two mound moves.

Boston has already addressed its rotation by acquiring Oviedo and Sonny Gray to join Crochet and Brayan Bello. The Red Sox roster several other starting candidates in Connelly Early, Payton Tolle, Hunter Dobbins, Kyle Harrison and Kutter Crawford.