It is no secret that the Chicago Cubs should be looking to strengthen their pitching rotation this offseason. This is because they are entering the offseason with multiple pending free agent starting pitchers. In addition, their starting rotation was simply not good enough this season.
Due to this, it would not be surprising one bit if the Cubs aggressively look to add pitchers this offseason. This is especially the case when it comes to the front half of their rotation, as they desperately need at least one star pitcher.
When looking at trade candidates around the majors, one pitcher who would make a lot of sense for the Cubs is Minnesota Twins star Joe Ryan. The 30-year-old starter has been the subject of trade rumors for a while now. Due to this, and Ryan inching closer being eligible to becoming an unrestricted free agent after next season, Minnesota could very well move him.
Due to this, we here at Heavy Sports have a trade pitch that would have the Cubs land Ryan from the Twins in a major move.
Cubs Get:
- Joe Ryan
Twins Get:
- Matt Shaw
- Brooks Caple
- Chase Meyer
With this move, the Cubs would finally land an ace to bolster their rotation. The Twins, on the other hand, would pick up an intriguing young player in Shaw and two promising prospects in Caple and Meyer.
Ryan Is a Top Trade Candidate & the Cubs Need to Target Him
Recently, Ryan was named one of baseball’s top offseason trade candidates to watch by Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter.
“The club will almost certainly opt for a $100,000 buyout on that option in favor of a significantly lower arbitration projection, but he could eventually wind up on someone else’s books if the Twins take another step toward rebuilding,” Reuter wrote about Ryan. “They clung tightly to Byron Buxton and Ryan as building blocks a year ago, but after a 29-36 second half and a second straight losing season, bigger changes could be coming.”
With Ryan creating chatter in the rumor mill, the Cubs would be wise to pursue him. He would give Chicago’s starting rotation a significant boost, as he is a proven All-Star pitcher who has been very good for multiple seasons now. Due to this, Chicago should not be afraid to pull off a major move for him.
Looking at Ryan’s Recent Seasons
Ryan appeared in 27 games this season with the Twins, where he had a 7-10 record, a 3.79 ERA, and 159 strikeouts. This was after he had a 13-10 record, a 3.42 ERA, and 194 strikeouts in 31 games for Minnesota in 2025.
With these strong seasons, Ryan has been an All-Star in back-to-back years for the Twins. He has also had an ERA under 4.00 in each of his last three seasons. With this, he is a very dependable pitcher and would be a major pickup for a team like the Cubs.
Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see if the Cubs strike a deal for Ryan this offseason. He is exactly the kind of pitcher that Chicago should be willing to give up a lot for in a potential trade.
Chicago Cubs Trade Pitch Lands Twins 2X All-Star Pitcher in Blockbuster Move