Just before Fourth of July weekend, Red Sox (53-45) team president Sam Kennedy told The Greg Hill Show that his front office was given the “blessing from ownership” to be big spenders at the deadline - with the caveat being that the team continues winning ballgames on a consistent basis.
And to this point, they’ve done just that, winning 10 straight games heading into the All-Star break as a part of a 13-2 stretch since June 28.
Fans and media alike have collectively come around on the idea of Boston being a buyer at the trade deadline, and Twins All-Star starting pitcher Joe Ryan (9-4, 2.72 ERA) has continually come up as a potential target for the Red Sox.
With Hunter Dobbins (4-1, 4.13 ERA) tearing his ACL and Walker Buehler (6-6, 6.12 ERA) looking washed through his first 16 starts in a Red Sox uniform, this is a team in need of a true No. 2 starter as they make a push towards their first playoff appearance since 2021.
And with Ryan telling WEEI's Rob Bradford at the All-Star Game in Atlanta that he’d be “excited” if he were traded, along with posing for an Instagram post with fellow All-Stars Garrett Crochet (10-4, 2.23 ERA) and Alex Bregman, the interest surrounding the 29-year-old possibly joining Boston for the stretch run is at an all-time high.
But on Thursday, Bradford poured some water on that excitement during an appearance on Jones and Keefe.
“Will Minnesota trade Joe Ryan?” asked WEEI’s Rich Keefe.
“I don’t think so,” said Bradford, who went on to compare the current situation surrounding Ryan to the situation Crochet was in with the White Sox last summer.
“You go back to last trade deadline, and the Red Sox tried to get Crochet. A lot of teams tried to get Crochet. The asking price was like, ‘Yeah, give us Marcelo Mayer and Roman Anthony and some other people.’ I mean, this is the way of the world when it comes to these sort of pitchers at the trade deadline.
“[Dodgers general manager] Brandon Gomes was on the podcast, and he told me, ‘In the offseason, our goal [was to make a move like that], because [the deadline is 3x as expensive].’ And when you talk about a guy like Joe Ryan, that's what we're dealing with. We look at the Garrett Crochet deal and how much they gave up. Well, if they traded for Garrett Crochet at the deadline a few months earlier, it would have been more than that, and that's what you're talking about. So sorry, man. Sad trombone.”
“Do the Red Sox have the best package to give [up] for Joe Ryan?” WEEI’s Billy Lanni asked in a follow-up.
“No,” said Braford. “I mean, I think the Red Sox - they got rid of a lot of guys. They're not going to trade Mayer. They're not going to trade Anthony. Kristian Campbell now has this contract with them. You know, ‘The Password’ [Jhostynxon Garcia] is fine, he's an OK player.
“They have some decent minor leaguers, but I think that what you have to do is start introducing guys on the major league roster, which I don't know if they're going to do. The Jarren Durans, the [Ceddanne] Rafaelas - like, these sort of guys.”
The trade deadline is still two weeks away. A lot can change.
But according to Bradford, we shouldn’t be holding our breath for Ryan on-or-around July 31.
The Red Sox return to action on Friday with a three-game series at Wrigley Field to take on the Cubs (57-39). Lucas Giolito (6-1, 3.36 ERA) gets the start for Boston, with Colin Rea (7-3, 3.91 ERA) taking the mound for Chicago. First pitch is slated for 2:20 p.m. ET.
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