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Twins trade for Joe Ryan has proved successful over five years

Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Jul 11, 2026, 4:34 PM

Last updated Jul 11, 2026

Baseball

Summary

In July 2021, the Minnesota Twins traded veteran Nelson Cruz to the Tampa Bay Rays for pitching prospects Joe Ryan and Drew Strotman. At the time, Ryan was developing through the Rays' system but had not yet been given a major league opportunity. Since joining the Twins, Ryan has established himself as one of baseball's top pitchers, reaching the All-Star Game for the second straight year. His trajectory from minor leagues to success with the Twins underscores the significance of the trade.

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•Ryan selected for All-Star Game in Philadelphia this July
•The trade involved Cruz and minor league pitcher Calvin Faucher
•Ryan posted a 1.96 ERA across three minor league levels in 2019
•He showed exceptional performance in his initial major league starts
•Twins' strategy of trading for prospects has paid off significantly

Latest Updates

4:34 PMYahoo Sports — Five years ago, Twins made deadline deal for Joe Ryan that’s paying dividends

What they're saying

"
Nelson Cruz was at Target Field, preparing for a night game against the Los Angeles Angels, when word started trickling through the ballpark: The veteran slugger had been traded to the Tampa Bay Rays. Joe Ryan was about 6,000 miles away, eating breakfast in the Olympic Village when he heard the same from Team USA teammate Eric Filia. He exchanged a look with Shane Baz, the two Rays prospects ...
— Yahoo Sports

Related Teams & Leagues

Los Angeles Angels Minnesota Twins Tampa Bay Rays Baseball