The deal that wasn’t real just before the trade deadline could instead be the one that gets done during the offseason.
On July 31, as the final minutes of the deadline in the Major League Baseball season ticked down, MLB on Fox put out a “breaking news” alert on X (formerly Twitter) stating that the Minnesota Twins had traded All-Star pitcher Joe Ryan to the Boston Red Sox. A mixture of elation and panic ensued, as Boston fans rejoiced over their team making the big move they had been hoping for, while followers of other teams like the Yankees weren’t quite as tickled.
But moments later, that post – along with a similar announcement from Yahoo Sports, both attributing the news to Jon Morosi of MLB Network – had vanished. In their rush to be first on a potential blockbuster, the outlets had misinterpreted Morosi’s report, which merely noted that, according to a source, the Red Sox were making “a late effort” to acquire Ryan.
Turns out that Ryan was among those who were faked out by the fake post. As he later explained to Bobby Nightengale of the Minnesota Star-Tribune, the situation was a mental roller coaster ride.
“I felt like I threw a whole game [on trade deadline day], with a lot of emotions,” Ryan told Nightengale. “I was kind of in a weird state of mind and physically pretty exhausted, too.”
But the ride may start up again in a few months.
Social Media Exploded With Mistaken Report of Joe Ryan Trade to Boston
While Ryan was not one of the 11 players traded by Minnesota in a staggering fire sale, speculation remains that he could be headed elsewhere before the start of the 2026 season. In a “Twins Mailbag” column for The Athletic, Aaron Gleeman answered a reader’s question about the possibility of trading both Ryan and fellow starting pitcher Pablo Lopez by suggesting that it likely hinges on who is paying the checks for the team.
“If the Pohlads still own the team for this offseason, it’s logical to assume the Twins would be open to trading Ryan and/or López,” Gleeman explained. “They actively engaged in trade talks for Ryan at the deadline and likely would have done the same with López if not for his months-long shoulder injury.”
And now, with the latest reports indicating the Pohlad family intends to retain ownership of the Twins, that speculation is likely to grow. In a recent YouTube video, content creator and analyst Robbie Hyde, a contributor to Foul Territory, predicted that the Red Sox will finally get their man this winter, putting together a package that brings Ryan to Fenway.
“With the Red Sox having one of the better farm systems in the game, I say they figure out a way to hammer out a deal,” Hyde opined.
Red Sox Predicted to Follow Garrett Crochet Formula With Offseason Deal for Joe Ryan
Hyde likened it to last season, when Boston tried unsuccessfully over the summer to get Garrett Crochet from the Chicago White Sox, only to see a trade between the teams eventually happen in December.
“They need someone behind Garrett Crochet long term,” Hyde said. “So, I think in the end, Joe Ryan will go to the Red Sox.”
Hyde cited reports from Rob Bradford of Boston sports radio station WEEI and the “Baseball Isn’t Boring” podcast, as well as Jeff Passan of ESPN, indicating that the Red Sox were willing to trade two top prospects out of a group that included Franklin Arias, Payton Tolle and Jhostynxon Garcia. He did acknowledge that, with more time to work on trades during the offseason, other teams like the Cubs, Orioles or Mets could also be in the mix.
“In the end though, I think the Red Sox are the best fit for Joe Ryan,” Hyde said.
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