The Yankees rotation is leaking. Carlos Rodon is hurt again, and the team has lost nine of its last ten games. Panic isn’t the right word for it, but the front office has to feel the pressure. There’s a silver lining with Max Fried settling in, and Gerrit Cole is still Gerrit Cole. But that’s two reliable starters in a season that’s slipping fast. The Yankees need a third arm they can trust in October, and they need it now.
Minnesota’s Joe Ryan fits that description better than most names on the trade market. He just threw seven shutout innings against the Yankees themselves, striking out nine and allowing three hits. That’s not a bad audition. For the season, Ryan has a 3.36 ERA and leads the majors with 19 starts. He’s durable, he’s effective, and he’s under team control beyond this year. According to MLB Trade Rumors, Ryan has also cut down on the home run issues that used to be the one knock on his game. Anthony Franco called him a slam-dunk playoff starter who fits any team’s budget for two runs through October.
The Twins might actually listen
Minnesota isn’t running away with anything. They’re in a division race but they’re not dominant. And the Twins have shown a willingness to move pieces before the deadline if the return is right. Ryan isn’t untouchable. He’s a quality starter who profiles as a strong SP2 or SP3 in a postseason rotation. Behind Fried and Cole, that’s exactly what the Yankees need. Camille Schlittler has been a nice story but asking a rookie to carry innings into October is a gamble. Ryan takes that pressure off.
Byron Buxton called Ryan’s outing against the Yankees vintage, per MLB.com. “Joe being Joe and doing what he does, it’s always fun,” Buxton said. “He was locked in today with all his pitches. It just shows how great he is.” Twins manager Derek Shelton said Ryan elevated his game. “It was a different level,” Shelton said. “His ability to execute the fastball, to get the fastball in different quadrants. We know he’s got the low slot and the ride, but you could tell today there were a lot of uncomfortable swings.”
The bigger problem is bigger than one arm
Pitching isn’t the only issue. The Yankees can’t hit right now. They need Aaron Judge back badly. But even when Judge returns, the rotation depth is shaky. Rodon’s injury history is what it is. Nestor Cortes has been up and down. The bullpen is tired. Adding Ryan doesn’t fix everything, but it changes the math on any given night in a short series.
Cole summed up the mood after another loss. “I just think it’s compounding at this point,” he said. “The game’s tough, but that’s not an excuse. It’s not like, ‘Oh, this is hard, and we don’t expect to be good.’ No. It’s hard, and we expect to be good. We’re not good right now. Got to figure something out.”
A trade won’t cure the clubhouse tension. But a trade for a starter who just shoved against you for seven innings? That sends a message. The Yankees need to look dominant again. That starts with the guy on the mound. Joe Ryan could be that guy.
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