The Minnesota Twins are standing at a complete crossroads right now. And it’s not just about baseball anymore. With the apparent threat of a 2027 MLB lockout casting a shadow of doubt over the sport, the team’s plan for its star pitcher Joe Ryan has suddenly become much more complicated.

Ryan, who is set to hit free agency after 2027, was expected to be the key piece of the Twins’ future, or at the very least a hot commodity at the 2026 trade deadline if things went south. But as ESPN’s Buster Olney has reported, the league’s labor tension issue might speed things up in a rather unexpected way.

Olney explained it bluntly, “However, with many executives believing that at least some of the ’27 season is in jeopardy because of the labor strife, placing an appropriate trade valuation on Ryan will be much, much more complicated next July; teams might not be willing to part with significant return if they believe the ’27 season will be truncated or lost. So if teams want to get proper return on players like Ryan, they could be better served to take offers this winter, rather than waiting until next summer.”

In other words, Onley is saying, if the 2027 season gets shortened or lost, then Ryan’s value would go down. That’s why, according to Olney, Minnesota might be better off listening to the trade offers this winter instead of waiting for what’s ahead of them.

Joe Ryan’s name was familiar on the trade block this past summer. The 29-year-old didn’t shy away from it and, in fact, called the idea of being traded “exciting”. But despite a flurry of deadline moves, the Twins held on to their ace, who had wrapped a career-best season with a 3.42 ERA, 194 strikeouts, and 171 innings pitched.

But now that patience might not last, as the front office just has a new manager, Derek Shelton. He has been clear—he is focused on developing new and young talent. Ryan, meanwhile, is nearing 39 and might not be fit for this long-term rebuild. The CBA agreement is set to expire on December 1, 2026, and a lockout could be inevitable.

So the clock is ticking fast for Ryan.

Derek Shelton and his plans as the new Minnesota Twins manager

Derek Shelton is back in the big leagues—and back where he feels right at home. The Minnesota Twins introduced him as their new manager on Tuesday, bringing the 54-year-old skipper back to the majors just six months after his goodbye from the Twins.

As far as Shelton’s reaction to this role, he called his return to Minnesota comfortable and natural. In fact, during an interview with WFAN-FM 100.3’s Dan Barreiro, he explained why he wanted the job despite the franchise’s uncertain direction. Shelton said, “Of every place I’ve been in my career, I can’t explain it. You’ve lived here. It feels like home… It’s one of those places that has always felt like home. It’s always felt comfortable to me.”

Even then, comfort doesn’t mean success. The Twins are coming off a disappointing season, and that trade deadline fire sale all hinted at a rebuild. So naturally, questions about ownership and the willingness to spend have followed Shelton since his hiring. So when he was asked about payroll and his roster plans, he said carefully, “I understand people think, ‘Why don’t you just answer the question with clarity?’ But I don’t think right now we can answer that. We have to see where the market provides.”

What Shelton did make clear, though, is his belief in the team’s pitching depth—something he sees as essential to building back trust and winning again. But he knows that won’t come easy. But he says, “I realize that there’s going to be trust that has to be earned. I’m all for that. It’s going to be a young team. We’re going to have to develop. I understand that.”