Blue Jays Trade Package Sends Top Prospects to Twins
Four years after landing José Berríos in a splashy deadline deal, the Toronto Blue Jays could be eyeing another impact arm from the Minnesota Twins.
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In a proposal from Mitch Bannon and Jim Bowden of The Athletic, Toronto sends shortstop Arjun Nimmala and right-hander Trey Yesavage to Minnesota in exchange for All-Star starter Joe Ryan.
Ryan, 29, has blossomed into a bona fide ace this season, posting a 2.76 ERA with 10 strikeouts per nine innings. He's long been known for his deceptive fastball, but this year, he's elevated from underrated to elite, earning his first All-Star nod and emerging as a potential Game 1 starter in the postseason.
Jun 8, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Joe Ryan (41) delivers a pitch during the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Target Field© Jordan Johnson-Imagn Images
"A move of this magnitude could clear the Jays' prospect cupboards, but would return an obvious Game 1 starter who could head the rotation for multiple years," Bannon wrote.
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To match Ryan's value, the Blue Jays would need to part with top-end talent. Nimmala, who was Toronto's first-round pick in 2022 and has recently climbed to No. 1 on the Blue Jays prospect rankings, thanks to his impressive power potential and athleticism at shortstop.
Another player of interest is Yesavage, Toronto's 2024 first-round draft pick, who has made a remarkable impact in his first full professional season, earning accolades for his exceptional strike-throwing ability and high-velocity repertoire. Yesavage is 5-1 with a 3.19 ERA with 111 strikeouts and 30 walks in 67 2/3 innings across three minor-league levels.
The proposed trade mirrors what Toronto gave up for Berríos in 2021, when Austin Martin and Simeon Woods Richardson were dealt to Minnesota in a similarly aggressive play for controllable pitching.
With the Twins slipping in the American League Central, now may be the time to "sell high" on Ryan. However, this isn't a salary dump, it's a blockbuster that would reshape both teams' outlooks for years to come. For a Blue Hats team in need of a front-line starter, this is the kind of calculated risk that could define their season.
Related: Blue Jays Hypothetical Trade Lands Former First-Round Draft Pick
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 10, 2025, where it first appeared.
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