Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Joe Ryan was expected to be a trade candidate heading into the MLB offseason. In fact, some around the MLB world expected Ryan to be one of the most popular trade targets in the sport. However, a report was later released that stated the Twins were not interested in trading their stars such as Ryan and outfielder Byron Buxton.

Since that report was released, trade rumors have quieted down around the starter for the most part. Are the Twins taking the right approach, though? Should they consider moving Ryan?

Minnesota likely believes it can win an American League Central division that is fairly open at the moment.

The Cleveland Guardians -- who won the AL Central in 2025 -- feature a lackluster offense. They already lost Lane Thomas in free agency and Cleveland hasn't done much else to improve the lineup.

The Detroit Tigers finished second in the division. While they could be competitive again, the possibility of a Tarik Skubal trade is an impossible element of the situation to ignore. The chances of Detroit seriously competing if they trade the best pitcher in the American League will obviously decrease. 

As for the Chicago White Sox, they will probably be better than they were in 2025. Still, they are a few years away from seriously contending. The Kansas City Royals have enjoyed a nice offseason, but they also still have work to do. 

So, yes, the division is winnable. Even if the Twins keep Ryan, Buxton and the rest of their stars, they haven't added too much help around them. Making a legitimate World Series run still seems to be an unlikely result for this Twins ball club as currently constructed. 

If the Twins' goal is to win the AL Central and get bounced early in the postseason, then holding onto Ryan makes sense. Winning the division is one thing, but making a run in the playoffs presents a whole new challenge.

If they want to maximize his trade value -- as he's still under team control for 2026 and 2027 -- then trading him now is arguably their best option. 

With all of that being said, it is respectable to see the Twins simply not entering a full rebuild. If they are going to keep Ryan, though, they need to go all in and begin adding more impactful players around him and Buxton.