Blue Jays Urged to Aim High in Trade Market Ahead of MLB Deadline
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The Toronto Blue Jays were one of the bigger surprises in baseball heading into the All-Star break and wasted no time building momentum following it.
They have picked up victories in their first two games of the break in their series against the San Francisco Giants, pushing their record to 57-41 on the year.
At the very least, they will be three games ahead of the New York Yankees when games conclude on July 19. With each passing day, the Blue Jays are improving their odds of qualifying for the postseason.
Given the current state of the American League, a golden opportunity is staring Toronto right in the face.
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“If not now, then when? The AL is wide open and the Blue Jays will have every opportunity to win the division, which is a conversation we haven’t had in Toronto in nearly a decade. This lineup is deep, stretching down into Triple-A, so the Blue Jays’ don’t just need to add big leaguers, they need to add star power,” wrote Keegan Matheson of MLB.com.
That kind of organizational depth will present Toronto’s front office the opportunity to swing for the fences ahead of the MLB trade deadline, which is set for July 31.
As Matheson said, star power is what the Blue Jays should be focusing on, with their biggest need coming on the pitching mound.
One way or another, the team needs to add some depth to its starting rotation.
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Jose Berrios has been excellent and the team has been able to count on Kevin Gausman and Chris Bassitt taking the ball when their turn comes around in the rotation, but not much else in the rotation.
Max Scherzer is back now after spending months on the injured list, where Bowden Francis currently resides.
12 different players have already started a game for Toronto, as their rotation has been a bit of a mess at the backend.
The Blue Jays should be able to add a capable innings-eater at the back end of the rotation, but they should be aiming much higher, given the opportunity they could be taking advantage of.
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“Even in the rotation, while some more depth would help, the Blue Jays need to be thinking like World Series contenders here. If they’re looking at a starter at the Trade Deadline, could that pitcher realistically start in the first three games of the ALDS? If not, aim higher,” Matheson added.
Who would qualify as such a target for the AL East contenders?
Mitch Keller of the Pittsburgh Pirates would be a great addition given his front end ability and the fact he is under team control through 2028.
Sandy Alcantara of the Miami Marlins would be a risky acquisition given his performance this year, but the former National League Cy Young Award winner has as much upside as anyone who could be attainable this year.
An addition of that caliber would help keep Toronto near the top of the league.
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