MLB Rumors: NL Central Team Linked To Joe Ryan Trade
Instead, behind ascending young players like JJ Wetherholt, Jordan Walker, and Alec Burleson, they are firmly in the playoff picture, sitting in second place in the NL Central and within range of a Wild Card spot.
That surprising success has created an unexpected question for new president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom: does St. Louis stay the course, or push some chips toward a rotation upgrade.
Joe Ryan of the Minnesota Twins is the name multiple outlets keep connecting to the Cardinals.
Why the Fit Makes Sense
The Cardinals rank in the top 10 in the majors in runs scored but have struggled to identify a reliable starter beyond Michael McGreevy.
Ryan has a 3.17 ERA, a 0.96 WHIP, and a 92-to-16 strikeout-to-walk ratio across 82.1 innings this season, numbers that have made him one of the most coveted arms in the sport behind only Tarik Skubal on most rankings of available deadline talent.
#MNTwins Joe Ryan has become an ace... and that's made him unavoidable in trade conversations.
— Talkin' Twins (@TalkinTwins) June 17, 2026
Multiple evaluators like ESPN's Jeff Passan peg him as a near-lock to be moved (55% odds), with just one year of control beyond 2026 and a season that’s pushed him into clear… https://t.co/oR6Cjq7WEi pic.twitter.com/RI69GK1cYc
He is also not a pure rental.
Ryan has a mutual option for the 2027 season, meaning any team that acquires him gets multiple years of control and the right to negotiate an extension rather than a single half-season swing.
That being said, the Twins have reportedly not had a change of heart and are not currently planning to trade their ace, but that stance could shift if Minnesota fully embraces a rebuild as the deadline approaches.
What It Would Cost
Multiple proposed frameworks have centered on Cardinals pitching prospect Jurrangelo Cijntje, ranked sixth in the St. Louis farm system and considered ready for a near-term MLB debut, as the centerpiece of any Ryan package.
FanSided's Chris Landers, who first floated St. Louis as a dark-horse destination, proposed sending Cijntje along with catching prospect Leo Bernal and left-hander Ixan Henderson to Minnesota.
Joe Ryan in his last 3 starts:
— SleeperMLB (@SleeperMLB) May 21, 2026
6.0 IP + 1 ER + 9 Ks
6.0 IP + 1 ER + 7 Ks
6.0 IP + 1 ER + 5 Ks
1.50 ERA. DAWG! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/xl0SFDIwqp
The Cardinals have very few players locked into guaranteed contracts beyond 2027, giving Bloom financial ability to pursue an extension with Ryan if a trade gets done and he wants to keep him beyond the immediate rental window.
Whether St. Louis decides to capitalize on an unexpectedly competitive season or stay patient with the rebuild Bloom began in the offseason is the question.
