Blue Jays’ Marcus Stroman and Aaron Sanchez still drawing trade interest

According to a report from Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic, both Marcus Stroman and Aaron Sanchez are drawing trade interest recently.

While the Blue Jays aren’t expected to be big players in the trade market this winter, that won’t stop rival general managers from giving Ross Atkins a call.

It sounds like that’s what has been happening recently, at least according to a report from Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic. Rosenthal notes that both Stroman and Sanchez have been drawing interest on the trade market as teams try to build their rotations for the 2019 season.

Both right-handers have two seasons remaining of club control, which would be of additional interest to any acquiring team. The other significant factor is that both would be sold at a “buy low” point by the Blue Jays, if they were willing to discuss a trade at all.

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Sanchez in particular has battled injuries over the last couple of years, and it’s all but taken his value away on the trade market. He was the 2016 American League ERA leader and a true Cy Young contender, but unfortunately we haven’t seen the same pitcher since. He was a little healthier last year when he made 20 starts and threw 105 innings, but it was a far cry from what the Blue Jays were hoping for. He finished the year on the disabled list again, dealing with another injury to his pitching hand.

In Stroman, the Blue Jays should have a little bit more of a sure thing, although that’s never a certainty with any pitcher. He battled injuries last year as well, but they don’t feel as chronic as what Sanchez has been dealing with. He started the year with some shoulder issues, and in hindsight probably should have delayed his start to the year. He eventually got himself right and back in the rotation, but he dealt with blister issues of his own later in the year as well.

While I’m not the least bit surprised that teams are calling and looking for a buy low/bounce back candidate, I don’t think the Blue Jays will be selling low on either asset at this stage. It would be pretty foolish if they did, unless the return was more in line with the peak value of each pitcher. Otherwise, the Blue Jays would be far better off giving each arm a fresh start in 2019, and hopefully allowing them to rebuild their value to the Blue Jays, and on the trade market.

With a pretty thin starting group that online includes Ryan Borucki, Thomas Pannone, Sam Gaviglio, and Sean Reid-Foley, the return would have to make a lot of sense for the Blue Jays, both for the long term, and for the immediate picture of next season.