Blue Jays: What’s the trade market for Estrada like now?

Teams who’ve already upgraded

Minnesota Twins

The Twins made a deal with the Braves to acquire Jaime Garcia, giving them a modest lift in their rotation at a reasonable cost. Garcia is a solid starter having a good year, but he’s not an ace by any means.

That said, Marco Estrada hasn’t been pitching like an ace lately either, so it’s hard to say how much interest there might be. Estrada will be owed roughly 6 million for the rest of the season, so the buyer would have a cost involved, albeit a reasonable one for most clubs. The Twins may not want to spend another six million, but their rotation could use the additional boost. Plus, if Estrada can find himself, he could be a solid addition to the front of the rotation, joining Ervin Santana and Jose Berrios.

The Twins have been giving Bartolo Colon starting opportunities lately, so if they are serious about contending this year, they may look for additional help.

Kansas City Royals

The Royals were the most likely destination for Estrada before their Monday trade, and it’s possible the two teams could still work out a deal. The Royals acquired three pitchers in a trade with the San Diego Padres, including left-handed starter Trevor Cahill.

Estrada shouldn’t require a significant trade return by any means, so it’s entirely possible the Royals throw a little more money at their playoff run this year. With as many pending free agents as they’ve got coming up this offseason, this really could be the last kick at the can for this group.

They currently have Danny Duffy and Jason Vargas performing well from the left side, but their right-handers in Jason Hammel and Ian Kennedy have been hit pretty hard this year. That said, they both have better ERA’s than Estrada, so maybe there isn’t much of a fit there now, unless they are particularly big fans of his playoff experience.