Padres' prediction foreshadows a desperate deadline move A.J. Preller won't resist

Twins ace Joe Ryan has long been linked to the San Diego Padres. The 29-year-old Northern California native avoided an arbitration hearing this week with Minnesota, which gives him a tick over $6 million this season with a mutual option for 2027.

This type of deal lines up perfectly for teams that will hunt for a starting pitcher at the 2026 MLB trade deadline, considering the Twins will probably not offer Ryan a long-term deal satisfying enough to keep him in Minnesota.

Enter the San Diego Padres, a team that's somehow always been linked to Ryan over the last couple of years. Bleacher Report's Tim Kelly is the latest to predict that the All-Star starter will go to San Diego, which has us feeling that it's just a matter of time before he is a Friar.

Joe Ryan, Padres connected in yet another trade rumor

You can never count out a high-end player being linked to the Padres around the trade deadline, and Ryan is just the latest subject. First, Michael King and Nick Pivetta need some help in the starting rotation. It will be a long season if the Padres have to wait on acquiring Ryan, considering the reinforcements have plenty of question marks. Yu Darvish is good as done for his pitching career, Kyle Hart and Randy Vasquez aren't necessarily successful guarantees, and we can't promise that Joe Musgrove will have an immediate return to stardom. If the Friars intend on having a postseason-worth rotation, they need another ringer.

Looking beyond this season, Pivetta and King could each opt out for free agency following the 2026 campaign, which would be a nightmare. A good way to keep them happy and wanting to remain with the Padres is adding more help. Ryan, who has a pair of 190-plus strikeout seasons over the last three years, can definitely be that guy.

Obviously, San Diego would have to shell out plenty of top prospects again, which doesn't ever scare President of Baseball Operations A.J. Preller away from getting what he wants. So be it if Ethan Salas is traded away, right? It would cause an uproar, but Padres fans are used to stomaching their top prospects going to another organization. Joe Ryan could be worth the pain.