Adding High-End Pitcher Would Be Best Way for Blue Jays To Improve at Trade Deadline
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The Toronto Blue Jays have been rolling of late, with an impressive nine-game winning streak helping them claim sole possession of first place in the American League East.
Not too long ago, it appeared like the AL East was going to be a runaway for the Yankees. However, they have struggled quite a bit of late, and it has opened the door for the Blue Jays.
It was just about a month ago that Toronto might have been considered to be a seller at the trade deadline. However, that is certainly not the case anymore. The Blue Jays should be extremely aggressive this summer to improve a team that has now shown the ability to win the division.
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Overall, Toronto has a solid group with the needs being more so to establish themselves as not only a playoff contender, but a World Series contender. In order to accomplish that, the Blue Jays aren’t going to be looking for depth, they are going to be looking for star power.
Keegan Matheson of MLB.com recently wrote about one upgrade the Blue Jays need to make, being to add a high-end pitcher.
“That could come in the form of a back-end reliever, similar to when the Blue Jays added Jordan Hicks in 2023. If they target a starter, it would need to be someone capable of starting a postseason game, so their bar needs to be high as they evaluate this market.”
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With their eyes now set on not only making the playoffs but also being a contender in the AL, helping the pitching staff with an impact arm makes a lot of sense for Toronto.
So far, their bullpen has been the better part of the staff, with the unit totaling the eighth-best ERA in the league. Jeff Hoffman has proven to be a great offseason addition for the team, but in October, high-leverage arms are king. Adding another talented reliever would help strengthen the unit and cover up some of the flaws with the starting rotation.
In the rotation, that seems like the ideal place for the Blue Jays to look to make an upgrade. Despite having some notable names with Jose Berrios, Chris Bassitt, Kevin Gausman, and Max Scherzer, the unit overall ranks in the bottom half of the league in ERA.
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If Toronto is going to make a splash, adding a starter who is capable of starting in a playoff series and potentially leading this unit makes a lot of sense. There aren’t a ton of options out there to accomplish that, and the price would be expensive.
Overall, whether it comes in the bullpen or the rotation, a high-end arm seems like the best thing to add for Toronto this summer.
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Nick Ziegler is an alumnus of the Connecticut School of Broadcasting. He has been working in sports media covering the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL for nearly a decade with various publications online. With his free time, Nick enjoys being at the Jersey Shore with his wife, daughter, and their golden retriever. You can follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @NickZiegler20.