Blue Jays Rumors: Diamondbacks and Jays have discussed Dioner Navarro

During the MLB Winter Meetings, we heard reports that new Arizona Diamondbacks general manager Dave Stewart was looking for catching help and that he had mentioned an interest in Dioner Navarro of the Toronto Blue Jays. Nearly a month later, we have reports that the two sides have in fact discussed Navarro, courtesy of Jon Morosi of Fox Sports.

As Morosi notes, the discussions about Navarro did not seem to progress beyond preliminary discussions. However, the need is still there for Arizona and the Blue Jays have perhaps the best available chip to move at this stage in the winter. The question of course is whether the Diamondbacks would be willing to part with pieces that the Blue Jays need, i.e. relievers.

Arizona has no shortage of relief arms that would be attractive to the Blue Jays. In particular, Brad Zeigler, Addison Reed, and Matt Reynolds could all be enticing to Toronto, but all would likely cost Toronto more than the one year remaining on Navarro’s contract. Arizona also has underachieving, yet high-upside arm Randall Delgado, but it is doubtful that Stewart would be willing to give up on him this early.

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That doesn’t mean that there isn’t a deal to be made here. It may simply take some creativity.

One such creative avenue may be to look at bringing in a third party. Someone like the Miami Marlins. One thing that Arizona has in bushels in outfield depth, and while the Marlins have a fantastic starting outfield, they lack a solid back-up option as a fourth or fifth outfield on the depth charts.

If a deal could be made moving a reliever from Miami to the Blue Jays, with Toronto flipping Navarro to Arizona, and the DBacks sending David Peralta or Ender Inciarte to the Marlins, that would be a win-win for all. Brian Morris and A.J. Ramos would be particularly enticing, but Steve Cishek would be a pipe dream without addition prospects going to Miami. Both Morris and Ramos have the live arms that the Blue Jays would be looking for in a set-up role.

That said, three-team trades are often complicated and the price in any deal will likely be more expensive for Toronto than simply using Dioner Navarro as trade bait. The Blue Jays will undoubtedly have to find a kicker prospect to toss into any deal if they want an impact relief arm back. Still, if there’s a will, there’s a way.