Red Sox target Joe Ryan reportedly expected to remain with Twins. What other top-end starters could Boston pursue?
There are a few other top-end pitchers who've been rumored to possibly move ahead of the trade deadline.
If Joe Ryan is the top pitcher the Red Sox have on their trade deadline wishlist, then they might have to find a new No. 1 pitching target.
The Twins are expected to keep Ryan, but will listen to offers on him ahead of the July 31 trade deadline, USA Today‘s Bob Nightengale reported Sunday.
Boston was first linked to the Minnesota right-handed pitcher earlier in July. MLB Network’s Jon Morosi reports that the Red Sox were among a group of teams “monitoring” Ryan’s availability.
Ryan, 29, checks several boxes to be the Red Sox’ ideal trade candidate. He was named an All-Star this year, as he’s 9-4 with a 2.72 ERA, 0.915 WHIP, and 121 strikeouts in 109 1/3 innings pitched over 19 appearances before his start on Sunday. He’s also posted a sub-4.00 ERA in two of the last three seasons, and is under contract through the end of the 2027 season.
However, the fact that Ryan is still under control for two more years likely means the Twins would want a whole lot from the Red Sox to get a deal done. When the Red Sox traded for Garrett Crochet in December, they gave up two top-100 overall prospects (Kyle Teel, Braden Montgomery) as the then-White Sox pitcher had two years of team control remaining.
With Ryan appearing likely to stay in Minnesota beyond the trade deadline, here are five other top-end starting pitchers the Red Sox could acquire ahead of July 31.
Diamondbacks RHPs Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly
Gallen and Kelly seem to be the top-end starting pitchers most likely to get moved ahead of the deadline. Both righties are in the final years of their respective deals, and the Diamondbacks have struggled to keep in the National League playoff picture.
Gallen, who turns 30 in August, has the better track record of the two pitchers, proving to be a Cy Young candidate in the 2022 and 2023 seasons. But, he’s struggled this year, holding a 7-10 record to go with a 5.40 ERA, 1.374 WHIP, and 110 strikeouts over 115 innings in 20 starts.
Kelly, on the other had, has been solid. The 36-year-old is 8-5 with a 3.34 ERA, 1.052 WHIP, and 113 strikeouts in 116 innings pitched over his first 20 starts. He also had a 2.25 ERA in four starts during Arizona’s surprise World Series run in 2023, something Boston could use if it has hopes of making a deep playoff run.
Royals RHP Seth Lugo
The Red Sox expressed interest in Lugo during the 2023-24 offseason before he signed a three-year, $45 million deal with the Royals. That wound up being a miss by Boston as Lugo finished second in the AL Cy Young last year.
A year and a half later, Craig Breslow might be able to rectify the mistake the Red Sox made on missing out on Lugo. The Athletic‘s Zack Meisel recently predicted that the Royals will ultimately trade Lugo as he has a player option for the 2026 season. Kansas City also entered Sunday with a 47-52 record.
Lugo, 35, is in the midst of another strong year. He’s 6-5 with a 2.94 ERA, 1.093 WHIP, and 93 strikeouts in 107 innings pitched over 18 starts. He also had a 2.89 ERA over two postseason starts for the Royals last season.
Marlins RHP Sandy Alcantara
Alcantara might be one of the more intriguing players who could be moved ahead of the deadline. The 29-year-old has shown he can be an elite pitcher, winning NL Cy Young in 2022.
However, if the Marlins trade him now, they would be selling low on him. He’s had a rough 2025 season after missing the 2024 season due to Tommy John surgery, posting a 7.14 ERA. His FIP is a lot better than that, but it isn’t great (4.66) and he has a 1.495 WHIP.
Still, Alcantara has a good track record and is under team control through the end of the 2027 season. But after taking a chance on Walker Buehler off Tommy John surgery this offseason, would the Red Sox want to take a similar risk with Alcantara as they compete for the playoffs?
Pirates RHP Mitch Keller
Beyond the first few options, there aren’t many pitchers who might be available who have shown top-end stuff in their careers. So, we might be stretching it a bit with Keller.
Still, Keller has largely been solid in his career with the Pirates. The 29-year-old is in the midst of a career year as well, holding a 3.48 ERA to go with a 1.143 WHIP and 92 strikeouts in 119 innings pitched over 20 starts. His four-seam fastball has also been one of the most effective pitches this season, per Baseball Savant.
Like Ryan, though, Keller is under team control for the foreseeable future. He has three years remaining on a five-year, $77 million extension he signed in 2024. Several teams have expressed interest in Keller, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Noah Hiles.
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