Why Red Sox fans are losing minds over Joe Ryan trade that never happened

The Boston Red Sox made one barely newsworthy acquisition at the MLB trade deadline, and their fans aren't happy about it.

The Fenway Faithful were optimistic that the team would dramatically improve its talent base, six weeks after the Sox offloaded Rafael Devers and the $250 million remaining on his contract. Instead, all they got was a potential fifth starter in former Dodgers right-hander Dustin May, who has a 6-7 record and 4.85 ERA this season.

There was little sign of life from the Red Sox leading up to the deadline. Then, in the hour before 6 p.m., MLB insider Jon Morosi reported that the Red Sox were making a late push to acquire the Twins ace.

The Red Sox have made a late effort to acquire Joe Ryan, source says. @MLBNetwork

Another major outlet reported on X that the Sox' deal for Ryan was complete. Minutes later, the tweet was taken down.

When the Red Sox traded Devers to the Giants for a package that included three players who do not figure to contribute to the Major League team this season, fans expected the team to take on big-name players with big-league contracts at this year's deadline.

Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow even hinted at that outcome just after the Devers trade.

"And so at the end of the season, I think we could look back and say we've won more games than we otherwise would have because of the way that this roster is now able to come together," Breslow told reporters in a press conference after the trade.

Breslow also said "there was no mandate" to offload all of Devers' contract in the trade but rather to improve the team by creating, in Breslow's words, "a more functional roster."

Instead, a team that has traded Mookie Betts, Rafael Devers, and let Xander Bogaerts walk in free agency since last winning a World Series in 2018 improved the team at the margins, while American League contenders like the Yankees, Tigers, Rangers, and Astros seemingly all made dramatic improvements to their respective big-league rosters.

The Red Sox currently have the 12th-highest payroll in terms of total allocations, according to Spotrac, ranking behind the Rangers, Blue Jays, Yankees, Astros, and Angels in the AL alone.