Mets Eye Blockbuster Move for Twins’ Ace Joe Ryan, But What’s the Catch?

If you’re scoping out where the Mets might land a premier arm to anchor their rotation this offseason, the buzzing trade market seems like the sharpest play. Two pitchers popping up on everyone’s radar are none other than Minnesota’s ace Joe Ryan and Milwaukee’s Freddy Peralta—both potential game-changers for the Mets. Now, according to Jon Heyman from The New York Post, New York’s front office is definitely intrigued by Ryan, eyeing him as a possible acquisition to bolster their staff.

The Twins, fresh off a hefty roster shakeup last season that cleared the decks for rebuilding, apparently have their sights set on prospects, with Jonah Tong reportedly catching their fancy. Ryan, gearing up for his age-30 campaign, offers two more years of team control and is poised to earn a modest $6 million in arbitration in 2026. That makes him an especially tantalizing target, although the price tag will likely include Tong or another top-tier prospect, plus additional assets.

Performance-wise, Ryan’s steady as a metronome—posting a 3.42 ERA and racking up nearly 200 strikeouts last year across a career-high innings count. His four-seam fastball, which he leaned on over half the time in 2025, ranked among the best pitches in baseball—a real weapon in his arsenal alongside a versatile mix of secondary pitches.

With the Twins offloading stars like Carlos Correa and Jhoan Duran to fuel their rebuild, New York’s pitching staff—anticipated to feature Nolan McLean, Sean Manaea, Clay Holmes, and David Peterson—is on the lookout for a reliable frontline starter. Joe Ryan fits that bill perfectly, bringing both youth and savvy to the hill.

Curious to delve deeper into the Mets’ pursuit of Joe Ryan and what this could mean for the rotation? LEARN MORE

The Mets‘ best avenue when it comes to adding a top of the rotation starter this offseason could be the trade market, where Twins ace Joe Ryan and Brewers ace Freddy Peralta are among those who could be available.

And per Jon Heyman of The New York Post, the Mets have interest in dealing for Ryan.

Heyman notes that Minnesota is believed to like Jonah Tong.

With Ryan having two years of team control remaining and being set to make just $6 million or so via arbitration in 2026, the cost to acquire him would almost certainly be Tong (or another top prospect) plus a lot more.

Ryan, who is entering his age-30 season, had a 3.42 ERA (3.74 FIP) and 1.03 WHIP with 194 strikeouts in a career-high 171 innings for the Twins in 2025. He was similarly impressive in 2024, posting a 3.60 ERA (3.44 FIP) and 0.98 WHIP with 147 strikeouts in 135 innings.

Ryan relies heavily on a four-seam fastball (he threw it 51 percent of the time in 2025) that graded out as one of the best pitches in baseball last season. He also utilizes a sweeper, splitter, sinker, slider, and curve.

The Twins are in the midst of a rebuild after having a fire sale at the 2025 trade deadline as they traded 10 players from the big league roster.

That included Carlos Correa, Griffin Jax, and elite closer Jhoan Duran, who — like Ryan — has two more years of arbitration remaining and will be wildly inexpensive in 2026 (he made just $1.3 million this past season).

Along with Ryan, it’s possible the Twins entertain the possibility of trading center fielder Byron Buxton. The 31-year-old would be a fit for the Mets, but has a full no-trade clause.

As far as Ryan, he would be a great add atop a Mets rotation that is expected to include Nolan McLean, Sean Manaea, Clay Holmes, and David Peterson.