Trade Deadline Preview

With the trade deadline less then a week away, the Blue Jays have their work cut out for them as they are sitting at a 14-13 record through 27 games. The team has had a few clear needs headed into the deadline, and will look to patch those holes as they plan to be buyers come August 31st.

Coming into the season, the organization, many fans, and analysts felt that Toronto had a serious chance at a playoff spot considering the expanded 16 team playoff layout. With breakout performances from Teoscar Hernandez, Randal Grichuk, Bo Bichette, Jordan Romano, and others, the team looked poised to capture their first playoff spot since the 2016 wildcard. However, significant injuries to Bo Bichette, Matt Shoemaker, Ken Giles, Trent Thornton, and Nate Pearson have brought concern upon the front office.

Typically a player missing 3-4 weeks isn’t anything significant. Mike Trout missed almost a month worth of baseball in 2019 (28 games) and still won the MVP award. In a 60 game season however, a month is a huge chunk of time, and a major player landing on the IL could be detrimental to the success of the team. With shortened training camps prior to the season, injuries have become a commonality for many teams, and depth has become more necessary than ever before.

What could the team be targeting going into the deadline? According to sources within the organization, the Jays are attempting to trade for a starting pitcher, as well as a center fielder, potentially within the same deal. Intuitively many have figured that the team could also be in the market for another starting depth option, and possibly a reliever as well, although these wouldn’t be the main focus with so many breakout pitching options (ie. Borucki, Romano, and Kay).

With the expanded playoffs, many teams are looking to make a push, leading to fewer deadline sellers than usual. However, the Red Sox, Orioles, Tigers, Royals, Rangers, Pirates, Giants and Diamondbacks appear to be on the list of sellers. In a starter/centerfielder deal, the Blue Jays would likely have to take on a salary. As a result, some possible targets could include Merrifield/Duffy (Royals), Eovaldi/Bradley/Martinez (Red Sox), Minor/Lynn (Rangers), Williams/Kuhl Pirates, and if lucky, Bogaerts (Red Sox) or Gallo (Rangers), although those are more of a stretch. A Whit Merrifield/Danny Duffy trade however seems ideal for both teams, and in reach.

Merrifield is a fantastic offensive player who can play all around the diamond offensively. He could easily fill in at the top of the order for Bichette, and could easily propel the team into the playoff spot. Duffy on the other hand is a reliable left handed starter in his 10th season who would be able to eat innings. Merrifield has a .301 average with 5 home runs on the year, and leads the league with 6 stolen bases. He also led the league in stolen bases in 2017 and 2018 while making his first all-star appearance in 2019. Duffy holds a career 3.98 ERA, and has a 3.99 ERA in 2020. Both players are 31 years old, meaning they can be relevant players for years to come rather than 2020 rentals. Combined they are making $20.25 million, which is affordable for the club. Duffy won’t reach free agency until 2022, and Merrifield will be under control until 2023. Although that may not be the route the team chooses, it could be the best option to consider. It could get expensive as both are quality players with years of control, but for a team one year away from being title contenders, it could be worth the risk.

On the flip side of these trade talks, the Blue Jays have plenty to give up. They have a deep farm system, but with no minor league season, teams are primarily fixed on major league players or players in the 60 man player pool. With the recent addition of 1B Daniel Vogelbach, Rowdy Tellez will likely be available at the deadline. Joining him, the team is reported considering selling high on Teoscar Hernandez, or could move on from Lourdes Gurriel after a down year in 2020. It is unclear who else might be available at this point in time.

By the start of September, Blue Jays fans will likely find a new starting pitcher on the active roster. The Jays are rumored to have interest in a pair of Pirates pitchers in Chad Kuhl and Trevor Williams, but with 6 days remaining until the deadline, these rumors might not mean much. Ross Atkins and co aren’t looking to trade away the team’s future quite yet, so a blockbuster is unlikely, but they are likely to find a trade for lower budget pitching options to finish of the 2020 season on their way to a potential playoff spot.