Twins Decline Joe Ryan's $13M Option but Keep Ace Through Arbitration

The Minnesota Twins have made a cost-saving call on their rotation leader without losing him. The club declined Joe Ryan's $13 million mutual option for 2027 on Friday, a decision reported by Dan Hayes of The Athletic, but the move does not send Ryan into free agency. Instead, the right-hander stays under team control for one more season, with his 2027 salary now set to be determined through the arbitration process. The distinction matters. Had Ryan reached the open market, he would have been one of the winter's more attractive arms. By declining the option and keeping him arbitration-eligible, Minnesota holds onto its starter at a lower expected price — MLB Trade Rumors projected his arbitration figure at $9.6 million, roughly $3.4 million below the option value, before accounting for a $100,000 buyout. The Twins must still tender him a contract and settle the number by agreement or hearing. Ryan earned that leverage with a strong 2026 campaign, posting a 3.79 ERA and 1.16 WHIP with 159 strikeouts against just 31 walks across 144.2 innings in 27 starts. Keeping him gives Minnesota a proven frontline starter for another playoff push, while preserving the flexibility to explore an extension or weigh trade interest later.