Toronto Blue Jays: Players to upgrade through trade

Another tier to consider

The final group consists of five players that are less likely to be available for one reason or another, but may be worth a call to gauge the asking price and see if something could be worked out.  Starling Marte is the elder statesman of the group, he has only one year remaining on his contract that pays him $12.5 million and will be playing 2021 at 32 years of age.

He is a major improvement over Grichuk and is coming off of a down year, however, he lost his wife in May and was then traded mid season, so it is understandable if he was dealing with life outside of baseball.  However, the Marlins made the playoffs last year and may not want to move a good defensive centre fielder for what would probably amount to a minimal return.  Maybe he will be a trade deadline target.

More from Jays Journal

• Blue Jays: Adam Cimber, the unlikely decision King
• Toronto Blue Jays: Has the Shift Killed Kevin Gausman’s 2022 Cy Young Hopes?
• Blue Jays: What Yusei Kikuchi’s latest stumble should mean
• Blue Jays: Alek Manoah on pace to succeed in possible postseason
• Blue Jays: Bradley Zimmer has carved himself a valuable role

Trent Grisham is 23 years old and comes with five years of control, I see no reason why the Padres would want to trade him, but never put anything past A.J. Preller. Ramon Laureano is in a similar position to Grisham, he is three years older than Grisham at 26 and comes with four seasons of control, but had a down year at the plate at 2020.

I doubt the Athletics are looking to move him, but again you can never count out the A’s ownership trying to squeeze every penny.  Josh Donaldson was moved with four years of team control after all.  A package for Laureano or Grisham probably starts with one of Jansen or Kirk and I would have to assume Simeon Woods Richardson‘s name would get brought up in a Laureano deal, where as may be Miguel Hiraldo is the final piece for Grisham.

The last two players are Byron Buxton of the Twins, he is 27 years old and comes with two more seasons of arbitration control, and Victor Robles of the Nationals, who will play next season at age 24 and has four more years of control.  Both teams are looking to contend, and I’m not sure trading away elite defensive players is the right way to go about that.

A package for either player wouldn’t cost as much as either Grisham or Laureano, but both the Twins and Nats would probably be looking for major league pieces in return and I’m not sure they line up well with the Blue Jays in that Regard.  Maybe the Twins or Nats could be interested in a package