Blue Jays: Who’s likely to be dealt in August?

TORONTO, ON - JULY 25: Josh Donaldson
TORONTO, ON - JULY 25: Josh Donaldson

With the non-waiver trade deadline come and gone, who’s likely to be dealt by the Toronto Blue Jays before the August 31st waiver trade deadline?

Despite the non-waiver trade deadline now a thing of the past, players can still be traded in the month of August. As long as the player passes through waivers, the player can be dealt before the August 31st waiver trade deadline. Usually, players with expensive, expiring contracts will pass through waivers, allowing them to be traded.

Toronto Blue Jays 2018 Non-Waiver Trade Deadline Deals:

OF/1B Steve Pearce, Cash —≥ Boston Red Sox

Return:

2B/SS Santiago Espinal

 

RHP Seunghwan Oh —≥ Colorado Rockies

Return:

1B Chad Spanberger

OF Forrest Wall

LHP J.A. Happ —≥ New York Yankees

Return:

INF Brandon Drury

OF Billy McKinney

RHP Roberto Osuna —≥ Houston Astros

Return:

RHP Ken Giles

RHP Hector Perez

RHP David Paulino

LHP Aaron Loup —≥ Philadelphia Phillies

Return:

RHP Jacob Waguespack

RHP John Axford —≥ Los Angeles Dodgers

Return:

RHP Corey Copping

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Sitting 25.5 games behind the division-leading Red Sox, it was time to begin the garage sale. All in all, the Blue Jays dealt 6 players and brought in 10. Even though the non-waiver trade deadline is behind us now, the Blue Jays may not be done dealing players. With names that were expected by many to be traded still on the roster, the team may be looking to deal players in the month of August. Who’s most likely to be traded?

Josh Donaldson

One of the reasons Donaldson isn’t a member of a different team already – health. The 2015 AL MVP just hasn’t been able to stay healthy this season – last appearing in a game May 28th against the Red Sox. In total, the 3rd baseman has played in just 36 games this season, hitting .234/.333/.423, and has just 5 home runs. Donaldson was recently moved to the 60 day DL to make room on the 40 man roster. There is a problem with that though – a player cannot be placed on waivers while on the DL. He can be placed on waivers once he begins his minor-league rehab assignment, but not before.

Marco Estrada

Yet another Blue Jay player that has been dealing with injuries. Estrada signed a 1 year, $13M deal with Toronto last September. He has been dealing with back injuries and a mild-glute strain over the course of the season. Estrada needs to stay healthy and perform in the month of August for both him and the club. The Blue Jays can probably get some prospects in return, and Estrada can go to a contender.

Tyler Clippard

Clippard has been healthy and performing well this season, so it was surprising we didn’t see him get traded yesterday. Axford, Clippard, Seung-Hwan Oh, and Loup were the relievers expected to be dealt. All of which was, except for Clippard. Clippard can work in the 7th or 8th inning, but not so much the 9th. Clippard is tied for the AL lead with 6 blown saves. Most teams that would trade for Clippard would be contenders, so they would most likely have a closer, so there is no need for Clippard to be closing games for them. Clippard has been traded before in his career, so a mid-season trade shouldn’t affect his performance.

Curtis Granderson

It was reported before the deadline then many teams were interested in the 37-year-old outfielder, including the Yankees, Indians, and Phillies. With the Bronx Bombers losing Aaron Judge for 3 weeks with a wrist injury, Granderson made sense for the Yankees because he could play while Judge was hurt, and he could be a good option off the bench once Judge returns from injury.  The Indians went out and got Leonys Martin from the Tigers yesterday, so there was no longer a need for Granderson. And I guess the Phillies weren’t all that interested in the Blue Jays outfielder.

Next. Blue Jays: Update on Lourdes Gurriel Jr’s injury. dark

Keep an eye out in August for these 4 names, and possibly more to be traded away from the Blue Jays as they look ahead at 2019 and beyond.