The San Francisco Giants have had one of the best pitching rotations in the MLB this season.
With All-Stars Robbie Ray and Logan Webb leading the charge and the emergence of dependable rookie Landen Roupp, the Giants can credit many of their first half wins to good starting pitching.
But what the Giants starting rotation has in star power it lacks in depth. Justin Verlander and Hayden Birdsong have had lackluster seasons, and the Giants traded away Kyle Harrison and Jordan Hicks to the Boston Red Sox for Rafael Devers.
Many insiders and fans believe that the Giants need to trade for at least one more starting pitcher to stay in contention for the playoffs.
And in recent days, a fascinating name has emerged to fill that void: Minnesota Twins right hander and 2025 All-Star Joe Ryan.
Ryan has had an absolutely stellar season in Minnesota. His 9-4 record and 2.72 ERA were more than enough to garner his first All-Star appearance.
For reference, Ray’s 2025 ERA is 2.65 and Webb’s is 2.94.
The foursome of Webb, Ray, Ryan and Roupp would arguably make the Giants the best rotation in baseball, especially if Verlander can figure things out in the second half.
Joe Ryan’s Mom Would Like the Move
Joe Ryan was actually born and raised in San Francisco, but the Bay Area connections do not stop there.
Ryan was actually originally drafted by the Giants in 2014, in the 39th round out of Sir Francis Drake High School in San Anselmo, California.
But Ryan elected not to sign with San Francisco and instead took his talents to California State University Northridge. He ultimately signed with the Tampa Bay Rays after they drafted him in the seventh round of the 2018 MLB Draft. Ryan was of course eventually traded to Minnesota, and he made his MLB debut in 2021 with the Twins.
But despite having a son on the Twins, Ryan’s mother is still a massive Giants fan.
“My parents and I talk on the phone, and they don’t bring it up that much,” Ryan told MLB.com in an interview about the Trade Deadline. “My mom is a huge baseball fan, too. She’s always at Giants games, so she’s probably thinking more about what they’re going to do.”
Ryan’s mother is one of us, hoping the Giants will make big moves at the deadline. You gotta love it.
Joe Ryan’s mom, if you’re reading this, I hope the Giants make a big move for your son. If not this year, then someday.
Would the Twins Actually Trade Joe Ryan?
Trading for Joe Ryan is, of course, impossible for the Giants if the Twins aren’t willing to give him up.
With a 47-49 record, the Twins have had a disappointing season so far. Usually, you can expect teams that had a disappointing first half to be sellers at the Trade Deadline.
But despite sitting at two games under .500, the Twins are only 4 games out of a Wild Card spot in the American League. It’s certainly within the realm of possibility that they could actually be buyers and go all in for a second-half surge towards a playoff spot.
Given the in-between place the Twins find themselves in, it’s likely that Ryan could be moved, but only for the right price.
So the Giants would likely have to be willing to part with a solid player on their MLB roster and another top prospect, in the same season they already shipped off Harrison and James Tibbs III.
It’s steep for an already-depleted Giants farm system. But President of Baseball Operations Buster Posey has said the Giants are going all-in this season, and if that’s true, the move may be worth it.
What do you think, Giants fans? Should Posey bring Joe Ryan home this trade deadline?
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