Blue Jays deadline day primer: Names to know

The Toronto Blue Jays have done the majority of their shopping before Monday’s MLB non-waiver trade deadline. With Franklin Morales not travelling with the team to Houston for the Blue Jays upcoming four-game series, however, Toronto has opened themselves to adding another arm without any complication.

At 4:00 p.m. ET today, the buzzer rings. Expect a trade or two to be announced after 4:00 hits, but by first pitch in Houston, the Blue Jays will have a cleared picture on the 25-man roster they’ll be working with down the playoff stretch.

We will have all of your Blue Jays breaking and analysis here throughout the day. To get starter, here are some names to keep an eye on:

Starting Pitchers

Rich Hill  –  On Sunday, Susan Slusser reported that the Blue Jays have remained interested in Hill and Athletics’ outfielder Josh Reddick. Hill is currently on the disabled list with a blister on his throwing hand, but with a 2.25 ERA and a relatively small financial commitment, Hill could be the ideal rental in this market.  Especially for the Blue Jays, who may not need a starter right away.

Tyson Ross  –  Speaking of not needing a starter immediately, Ross, the big Padres right-hander, could align with Toronto. The 29-year-old has been on the disabled list for nearly the entire year (shoulder), but could return in August and has a year of team control in 2017.

Jeremy Hellickson  –  The Blue Jays have reportedly been keeping an eye on Hellickson, the former American League Rookie of the Year with the Tampa Bay Rays. Now a member of the Phillies, he’s posted a 3.70 ERA over 22 starts, and on a one-year, $7 million deal, represents a true rental.

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Jorge De La Rosa  –   Perhaps De La Rosa can be called a C-level option, but he’s turned his season around with some strong starts as of late. The Blue Jays reportedly had scouts watching his most recent start, and despite his largely average career numbers, Toronto could do worse with a depth option.

Ervin Santana  –  The Blue Jays have reportedly been tracking Santana, whose contract and innings could conceivably replace R.A. Dickey in 2017.

Francisco Liriano  –  The left-hander has struggled mightily this year, posting a 5.38 ERA over 20 starts, but with the recent move of Mark Melancon to the Nationals, perhaps the Pirates are willing to eat some of Liriano’s $13.37 million salary for next season. He’s an outside chance, but league-wide, a name to watch. Especially if the B-level market moves quicker than teams expect.

Relief Pitchers

Boone Logan  –  Jon Morosi reported this weekend that the Blue Jays had discussed Logan with the Rockies. Logan is in the final season of a three-year deal and has been dominant against left-handed bats, which fits the current void of Morales.

Fernando Abad  –  The Minnesota Twins left-hander is reportedly readily available. His career splits aren’t the most consistent, but he’s handled lefties well this season. Abad falls into the group of arms that would come at a low acquisition cost, but may not be a real upgrade on Toronto’s triple-A options.

Sean Doolittle  –  Oakland’s lefty isn’t a lock to be moved, given his team control, but he could represent a creative addition for a contending club. Doolittle has looked strong over 35 appearances in 2016, holding lefties to a .152 average.

Jim Johnson  –  Much like Jason Grilli and Joaquin Benoit, the former Orioles’ closer Johnson represents somewhat of a reclamation project. His velocity has shown signs of returning in recent games, but unless the Blue Jays are willing to part with Jesse Chavez, a right-hander may be a difficult fit.

Next: Blue Jays reportedly interested in Ervin Santana

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