Blue Jays’ commerce deadline wants: Apparent targets, missed gems

BALTIMORE — Toronto Blue Jays supervisor John Schneider sank into a well-recognized padded chair forward of Monday’s sequence opener at Camden Yards. It was the identical leather-based seat with pale wooden arms that he had perched on simply earlier than the 2024 commerce deadline.

Final yr, the supervisor watched from his workplace as Blue Jays veterans zipped by the open door, hoping to keep away from a career-changing chat. These conversations, informing gamers like Justin Turner and Yusei Kikuchi of trades, have been unavoidable final deadline. The workforce arrived in Baltimore at 50-56, getting ready to dump expiring contracts.

“The environment,” Schneider mentioned. “Everybody type of knew the truth of it, nevertheless it was nonetheless a little bit bit tense.”

There’s no concern or pressure within the Blue Jays clubhouse this yr. There shall be no mass selloff, with Toronto sitting at 63-44 regardless of an 11-4 loss to the Orioles on Monday.

The Blue Jays are aiming excessive on the 2025 deadline, mentioned a league supply, trying to inject expertise to a surging roster. They’ll look to fill key wants — leverage reduction, rotation depth and yet another bat — for the ultimate stretch to October. Listed here are some apparent and inconspicuous candidates to fill these wants forward of Thursday’s deadline:

The bullpen

The simplest place for a splashy addition is the again of the bullpen. Leverage reduction choices are plentiful, and Toronto is in want, with Yimi García’s 2025 future unsure attributable to an elbow situation.

Emmanuel Clase is off the market, because the Cleveland nearer has been positioned on non-disciplinary paid go away by means of the top of August amid Main League Baseball’s sports activities betting investigation. Minnesota’s Griffin Jax and Jhoan Duran, who each personal elite strikeout weapons, stay accessible. The 30-year-old Jax, as Aaron Gleeman wrote Monday, is probably going the cheaper of the 2. Pittsburgh’s David Bednar and St. Louis’ Ryan Helsley symbolize the subsequent tier of high-leverage choices.

There’s depth within the decrease tiers of the reduction market this yr, too, with a number of set-up males and center relievers rattling off prime seasons. The Jays, anticipated so as to add a number of relievers on the deadline, will seemingly commerce for at the least one from this vary. Minnesota lefty Danny Coulombe, a pending free agent, entered Monday with a 1.16 ERA and 1.96 FIP. Baltimore’s Andrew Kittredge is again to his profession norms after lacking the primary two months attributable to a knee harm.

One other under-the-radar possibility is Cardinals veteran Phil Maton, who constructed a decade-long profession as an unheralded center reliever. From 2017 by means of 2023, he owned an precisely league common ERA (4.25) and recorded only one save. However, quietly, since a 2024 deadline swap to the Mets, Maton has been top-of-the-line right-handed relievers in MLB. His breaking pitches transfer greater than ever and he added a sinker to his pitch combine. Maton owns a 2.35 ERA this season, with the peripheral numbers of an elite nearer.

The rotation

Schneider mentioned he felt “actually good” about Toronto’s present beginning rotation forward of Monday’s loss in Baltimore. Max Scherzer’s thumb is seemingly a back-burner situation, Eric Lauer is dealing and Alek Manoah creeps nearer to MLB contributions.

If Joe Ryan or Sandy Alcantara stroll into Toronto’s clubhouse after the deadline, they’d have a rotation spot. However stability within the beginning 5 makes an optionable depth starter or swingman seem a neater match with the Jays.

The Athletics’ Jeffrey Springs, who’s began 57 video games and relieved in 110 all through his profession, is one apparent swingman possibility. Steven Matz (Cardinals) and Sean Newcomb (Athletics) each personal a sub-four ERA this season, bouncing from the rotation to the bullpen.

The bats

Even with Daulton Varsho and Andrés Giménez closing in on huge league returns, the Jays might use yet another bat on the deadline. Anthony Santander stays weeks away from hitting attributable to an early-season shoulder harm, and Toronto might goal a rental energy hitter to exchange his switch-hitting slug.

Baltimore’s Ramón Laureano, who homered in opposition to the Jays on Monday, brings an analogous skillset to Santander. He performs each outfield corners, hits left- and right-handed pitching and is on tempo for 23 homers regardless of partial taking part in time. Outfielders Taylor Ward (Angels), Luis Robert Jr. (White Sox) and Adolis García (Rangers) provide related profiles when in peak type.

Or, the Jays might shift from the power-based targets, swinging huge for Cleveland’s Steven Kwan. With one of many league’s finest outfield arms and elite contact abilities, Kwan has been a well-above-average hitter in three of his 4 MLB seasons. Kwan is hitting .285 this yr with 111 hits in 99 video games.

The Guardians, as Will Sammon and Andrew Baggarly wrote on Sunday, are “notoriously onerous to strike offers,” in keeping with different executives. However the Jays, with loads of entrance workplace connections in Cleveland, have made it work in current seasons, buying Andrés Giménez and Nick Sandlin within the offseason most not too long ago.

George Springer exits attributable to HBP

Springer left Monday’s ninth inning after he was struck within the head by a 96 mph fastball from Baltimore reliever Kade Strowd. After Toronto’s medical employees helped Springer to his toes, the veteran walked off the sphere beneath his personal energy.

“He’s doing all proper,” Schneider mentioned. “Form of received him within the shoulder, then the helmet. Fortunately he was in a position to flip a little bit bit, too.”

Springer met with Toronto’s docs after the competition, and the workforce will decide if additional testing is required.

(Prime photograph of Joe Ryan: Matt Krohn / Getty Photos)