As the MLB trade deadline nears, some teams are still determining whether they’ll be buying or selling. The Toronto Blue Jays find themselves in the position of needing to decide if there’s any hope of making the postseason this year. If not, what will the Blue Jays do with their many attractive trade pieces?
Toronto has fallen nine games below .500 entering Wednesday. The team is 16 games behind the Baltimore Orioles in the AL East and 9.5 games back in the American League Wild Card race. The Blue Jays have now lost 16 of their last 24 games, dropping the team to the sixth worst record in baseball.
Built around an exciting young core, the Blue Jays expected better than this in 2024. Prior to this year, Toronto produced four-straight winning seasons. Still, the organization may have to face the reality of their current situation.
Fortunately, Blue Jays’ general manager Ross Atkins understands the uphill battle Toronto must fight to remain relevant. With the season slowly slipping away, Atkins is taking an open-minded approach to the trade deadline. “There’s still a little bit of time, but we recognize that’s running out. Right now we’re going day by day, inning by inning, and will be ready to pivot in either direction,” Atkins acknowledged, per MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand.
That ability to pivot at the deadline could have a major impact on the league in the second half and the postseason. Sixteen games remain before July 30 but the Blue Jays should have a clear strategy in place shortly after the All-Star break. If all hope is lost for 2024, will Toronto try again next year with its core of returning players or will the organization start to tear this iteration of the team down and begin a rebuild with prospects?
First baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., shortstop Bo Bichette, starting pitcher Chris Bassitt and closer Jordan Romano all hit free agency in 2026, meaning the team can hold onto that group and bring them all back for another shot at a title next season.
The Blue Jays face a tough reality at the trade deadline
Of course, these are the Blue Jays’ most valuable trade assets and selling all or some of them would replenish the team’s depleted pipeline. Entering 2024, Toronto had the seventh worst farm system in baseball with only two players in the top 100, per MLB.com.
Still, it’s shocking that the Blue Jays are even considering trading Guerrero Jr. and Bichette, who appeared to be untouchable building blocks for Toronto’s future. Both players debuted in 2019 and have six All-Star selections combined – Guerrero Jr. will make his fourth appearance this season. Since their debuts the Blue Jays have made the postseason three times in five years.
However, Toronto has only managed to grab Wild Card spots in those three playoff appearances and they’ve gone 0-6 with three sweeps. The Blue Jays’ postseason track record indicates the team is a bit short of being legitimate contenders. And if they can’t turn things around quickly, the bottom could fall out this season despite having the eighth-highest payroll in baseball at just under $224 million.
Assuming there isn’t a miraculous turnaround, the Blue Jays will likely be ready to trade any and all players on expiring contracts, executives who wished to remain anonymous told MLB.com.
Those players include veterans Justin Turner, who’s making $13 million this year, and Kevin Kiermaier ($10.5 million) as well as starting pitcher Yusei Kikuchi ($10 million) and relievers Yimi Garcia ($6 million) and Tervor Richards ($2.15 million).
While anything is possible with Atkins’ open-minded approach, Blue Jays’ players with contracts beyond this season are likely to stay put, according to the anonymous executives.
Of that group of players who become free agents in 2025, the pitchers would likely draw the most interest from teams at the deadline. But if the Blue Jays pivot to selling off their core of returning players, Toronto will have a massive effect on how the season plays out despite missing the playoffs.
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