Blue Jays: Top five trade targets that should be in the sights

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TORONTO, CANADA – DECEMBER 4: President Mark Shapiro looks on as Ross Atkins speaks to the media as Atkins is introduced as the new general manager of the Toronto Blue Jays during a press conference on December 4, 2015 at Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images) /

If the Blue Jays are going to make a push for a playoff spot, they’ll likely need some help. Let’s have a look at five trade targets that could give them just that.

With another tough loss on Tuesday night, the Blue Jays’ record dropped to 14-14. That said, they’re still in a playoff spot if the season were to end today, and that makes things a lot more interesting, especially with the trade deadline approaching.

Will the Blue Jays make some roster upgrades and make a push for the post-season? I think it’s fair to assume that they’re keeping their eyes on the radar for who might be available, and would be especially interested if that player came with multiple years of contract control, rather than being a rental. Ross Atkins has also openly talked about a desire to upgrade the rotation, and that’s even more important now that Nate Pearson, Matt Shoemaker, and Trent Thornton are all on the Injured List.

There’s an obvious need in the starting rotation, but the Jays could arguably use some upgrades at other positions as well. They already acquired Dan Vogelbach from the Mariners for cash in order to give the bench some added pop, but I’m sure there are several other areas that Atkins and company would like to address, especially if they’re serious about making the playoffs this year.

Based on the trade market that’s been developing, what sort of options could be available? While the list could be pretty long, I’ve narrowed it down to a top five list of players that I think the Blue Jays should pursue, and spoiler alert, I’ve focused on the starting rotation.

Let’s have a look.

CINCINNATI, OHIO – AUGUST 13: Trevor Williams #34 of the Pittsburgh Pirates throws a pitch against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on August 13, 2020 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

#5- Chatting with the Pirates

I’ll begin with one rumour that’s already been discussed in Blue Jays circles, that there’s potential interest in a pair of Pittsburgh Pirates right-handers. Between Chad Kuhl and Trevor Williams, I’d certainly prefer the latter, mostly because of a longer track record as a starter. I originally had Danny Duffy of the Royals in at number five on this list, but after he left Monday’s game with some forearm tightness, that option could be off the table.

As for Williams, he’s quietly putting together a nice bounce-back campaign after a very difficult campaign in 2019. So far he’s 1-4 with a 3.70 ERA and a 1.378 WHIP across five starts and 24.1 innings. He badly struggled last season, but he was very good in 2018 when he was 14-10 with a 3.11 across 31 starts, and the Blue Jays would obviously hope for that version of the 28-year-old.

Two other factors that add to his potential appeal would be contract control and acquisition cost. He’s making a portion of the 2.825 million he was scheduled to receive this year, and has two more seasons of arbitration eligibility. As for acquisition cost, I doubt the Pirates would be asking for the moon for him, and with Ben Cherington running the show in Pittsburgh now, he has an extensive knowledge of the Blue Jays minor league system and might value some lower-level prospects more than others.

It’s probably not the ideal upgrade for the Blue Jays, and I’ve argued that they should “go big or go home” when it comes to this year’s trade deadline. However, at #5 I think Trevor Williams works just fine.

DETROIT, MI – AUGUST 12: Matthew Boyd #48 of the Detroit Tigers pitches during the game against the Chicago White Sox at Comerica Park on August 12, 2020 in Detroit, Michigan. The White Sox defeated the Tigers 7-5. (Photo by Mark Cunningham/MLB Photos via Getty Images) /

#4- Reconnecting with a familiar face

As time has gone on, I really feel like the Blue Jays did exceptionally well with the way they handled the 2015 trade deadline. Of course, that was the summer they acquired David Price, Troy Tulowitzki, and more, and they had to give up a lot of prospects to make it happen. That said, most of them haven’t amounted to much at the big league level. However, there’s one that I wouldn’t mind seeing back in a Blue Jays uniform.

That would be Matt Boyd, a hard-throwing lefty now the Detroit Tigers who was traded from Toronto as part of the package to acquire Price. He was a secondary piece to Daniel Norris at the time, but he’s turned out to be the more successful big leaguer.

Last season he was dominant in the first half before falling off a cliff, and it’s hard to guess which version of the southpaw the Jays would be getting. However, my guess is that the asking price for his services will have drastically come down since last year, when the Tigers couldn’t make a deal at the height of his trade value.

The complicating factor here is that Boyd hasn’t been good at all yet this year, as he’s 0-4 with an 8.48 ERA and a 1.744 WHIP. That rough performance would usually be a reason to scare team’s off, but in this case it might actually be helpful. If the asking price is low enough, he’s a solid bounce-back candidate for this season, and he has two years of arbitration eligibility.

I wouldn’t give the Tigers a lot to bring Boyd back to Toronto, but if the price is right, it could be a gamble well worth making.

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA – JULY 25: Dylan Bundy #37 of the Los Angeles Angels pitches against the Oakland Athletics in the first inning in the first inning at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on July 25, 2020 in Oakland, California. The 2020 season had been postponed since March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /

#3- The Angels have to be ready to say uncle

The 2020 season was supposed to be different for the Los Angeles Angels, as they’d finally brought some star power to join Mike Trout and help push them into the playoffs. Only, pretty much the opposite has happened.

As a result it’s widely expected that the Angels will be shopping Dylan Bundy, and if that’s the case then I’m sure the Blue Jays will at least check in on the situation. The 27-year-old is having a career year with the Angels, and seems to be finally making good on the promise that made him the 4th overall pick in the 2011 MLB draft. He couldn’t put things together while in Baltimore for all those years, but he wouldn’t be the first pitcher to say that. My colleague Clayton Richer wrote about how the two clubs could (or should) link up, and it’s worth checking out.

Assuming Bundy ends up traded, the acquiring team will obviously be buying in to a lasting change in his results. That said, even with his stock rising quite a bit over the last month or so (he’s 3-2, 2.58 ERA, 0.887 WHIP, 44 Ks over 38.1 innings) it’s hard to imagine the Angels will get a return that’s equivalent to an ace.

He’s received just a pro-rated portion of five million this year, and with one year left of arbitration eligibility he’s bound to be a lot more expensive next season. That said, if he keeps performing the way he has been since arriving in L.A. then he’ll still be a huge bargain. Sustained success isn’t the easiest thing to achieve, but he looks like he’s on the right track. Health hasn’t been a problem for him in recent seasons either, as he’s averaged 29.7 starts per season from 2017-19, and threw 160 or more innings in each year.

It’s a gamble to be sure, but if the Blue Jays are going to give up trade assets, I’d rather see them do it for a controllable arm. If you can acquire one with the upside and potential that Bundy has shown this year, even better. We’ll just see what the asking price ends up being, but I’m sure Ross Atkins will at least call to ask.

SAN DIEGO, CA – AUGUST 19: Lance Lynn #35 of the Texas Rangers pitches during the first inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on August 19, 2020 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Denis Poroy/Getty Images) /

#2- Looking for another top-tier starter

The closer we get to the top, arguably the less likely a trade will be. That said, when it comes to Lance Lynn and the Texas Rangers, it’s a phone call that’s definitely worth making.

The veteran has been sensational in his second year with the Rangers, and it’s unfortunate that the rest of the roster has fallen apart around him lately. The right-hander is now boasting a 4-0 record with a 1.59 ERA and a 0.86 WHIP across seven starts and covering 45.1 innings. He’s already struck out 50 batters against just 14 walks, and would be a no-doubt All-Star in a normal year.

Lynn’s base salary for this season was just 10 million, and he’s obviously far outperforming that rate. It gets even better next season though, as he’ll make just eight million in the final year of his deal, giving an acquiring team one more season of contract control after this one. That’s important and it will certainly drive up the asking price.

It’s possible that the Rangers won’t trade Lynn at all though, as they could prefer to keep him for next season and take a real run at the post-season under normal circumstances. So far they’ve underperformed based on expectations, and there’s enough talent on the roster to see positive things for 2021 and beyond, and perhaps they want Lynn to be a part of that. To that end, it may also empower them to ask for the moon for Lynn, and there would be a limit to what I’d like to see the Jays pay to get him.

All that being said, the burly righty would look awfully good as the 2nd arm in the rotation behind Ryu, and could even make them a scary team to play in a short playoff series.

MINNEAPOLIS, MN – JULY 31: Mike Clevinger #52 of the Cleveland Indians pitches against the Minnesota Twins on July 31, 2020 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images) /

#1- My top August trade target

If I’m the Blue Jays in search of a top-tier starting pitcher, the first place I’d be calling is an all too familiar spot for Ross Atkins and Mark Shapiro, back to their old employer in Cleveland.

Despite the fact that they’re currently sitting in a playoff spot, I do think they could be convinced to part ways with one of their elite starting pitchers. I sincerely doubt that Cleveland will let go of Shane Bieber, but I don’t know that I’d say the same for Mike Clevinger, even if they could certainly use his services in pursuit of a title in 2020. For the right price, I’m willing to bet it could be done, and he has the sort of upside that I’d be happy to see the Blue Jays spend to acquire.

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Last season he was one of the top starters in the AL, posting a 13-4 record with a 2.71 ERA and a 1.056 WHIP across 21 starts. Unfortunately injuries limited him in the second half, but I don’t know that there are any more long-term concerns for his health then there are for any pitcher.

As for contract control, Clevinger is making just 4.1 million this season and remains arbitration eligible for two more seasons. He’s going to get a lot more expensive, but it’s hard to imagine him not being a huge bargain as long as he can stay healthy.

This difference between Clevinger and others on this list is that he’ll require an absolute haul to pry away from Cleveland, even if they’ve been shopping veterans for the last couple of seasons. However, the Blue Jays have the premium prospects to get it done, and this is the type of game-changer that you use them to acquire. What would it take? That’s hard to say, but I’m sure the Blue Jays could offer a more than interesting package, even if they’re restricted to players from their 60-man player pool.

Do I think the Blue Jays are going to be major players for Clevinger? I don’t know, but if the Yankees are sniffing around as is being reported, then I think they need to get their noses in the situation as well. Atkins and Shapiro are more than familiar with the Cleveland front office, and I would hope that they’re in frequent contact to monitor the situation.

Some surprises among the team WAR leaders. dark. Next

Since I’ve only written about five pitchers here, I’m sure there are plenty of arms I’ve missed that you may have been thinking of. I chose not to include rental options like a Taijuan Walker or Trevor Bauer, even if there would be at least some interest in that type of situation. That said, I’m sure there’s someone obvious that I should have included here. Who would you have the Blue Jays target before this week’s trade deadline?