MLB Trade Rumors: Mets & Twins Trade Brewing

Joe Ryan, Minnesota Twins starting pitcher

The New York Mets wound down the 2025 season with a collapse of epic proportions, and even sent their season-opening ace Kodai Senga to the minors. The Mets rotation needs a complete overhaul, and between young prospects and a potential big trade, they hope to pull it off in time for 2026.

Insider Jon Heyman of the New York Post has indicated that Minnesota Twins ace Joe Ryan is on the Mets' radar, and one of New York's young studs is a potential target to head back the other way.

Joe Ryan is among the pitchers that interest the Mets in a potential trade for a frontline starter, and the Twins are "believed to like Jonah Tong," per @JonHeyman pic.twitter.com/ZG727LolrU
— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) December 4, 2025

The Twins are "believed to like Jonah Tong," writes Heyman. The 22-year-old Toronto-born Tong didn't impress much in four outings of his five-game trial with the Mets in September, but he did show a glimpse of his true talents in his second-last game, holding the San Diego Padres to no earned runs in five innings while striking out eight against no walks.

Tong tore it up in the high minors this past season, with two scoreless outings in Triple-A (and a 17:3 strikeout to walk ratio in 11.2 innings), which followed a dominating performance in Double-A. In 20 starts at Binghamton of the Eastern League, Tong produced a 1.76 ERA and a 0.92 WHIP, while striking out 14.3 batters per nine innings. He held opposing hitters to a ridiculous .137 average across his 102 innings.

There's a lot to like about Tong, but for the Mets, if they could turn him (and some other assets) into a proven major league ace like Ryan, they'd be very tempted.

The Twins are looking to trim payroll, and it's thought that one of Ryan or Pablo Lopez will be dealt to accomplish that feat.

Ryan was an All-Star in 2025, posting a 13-10 record for the lowly Twins, with a 3.42 ERA and 1.03 WHIP, with a 194:39 K/BB ratio in 171 innings through 31 appearances. He has two more years of team control, and is expected to land a $6 million contract for 2026 through arbitration.