Red Sox Fail to Acquire Twins’ Joe Ryan Before Trade Deadline

The Boston Red Sox made an aggressive but ultimately unsuccessful attempt to acquire ace pitcher Joe Ryan from the Minnesota Twins before the 2025 trade deadline. Despite Ryan's strong performance and control through 2027, the Red Sox's offers failed because they refused to include their key big-league outfielders, such as Jarren Duran or Wilyer Abreu, which Minnesota reportedly demanded. Instead, Boston settled for acquiring pitchers Dustin May and Steven Matz on expiring contracts, moves that were seen as modest and insufficient to significantly strengthen their rotation. Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow defended the team's efforts, citing the difficulty of aligning trades between teams, but acknowledged fans' frustration over the lack of high-impact reinforcements. The failed pursuit of Ryan has been criticized as a significant missed opportunity that could have enhanced Boston's playoff chances, as the team currently holds the second wild card spot in the American League. The Red Sox’s surplus of outfielders complicated negotiations, as trading from that depth could have facilitated a deal for Ryan but was not pursued, leading to trade deadline disappointment.