Blue Jays: Three roster needs, and three potential solutions

The Blue Jays are one of the hottest teams in baseball, but even good teams can be improved, and chances are they’ll be looking for upgrades this summer.

With the way the team has been playing lately, the situation doesn’t feel like it has quite the same urgency as it did two weeks ago, but that doesn’t mean the Jays won’t be looking ahead to the trade deadline at the end of July. Despite having one of the strongest rosters in baseball on paper, a lot can happen over the course of a long 162 game season. Whether that’s disappointing performances, injuries, or otherwise, even the best laid plans don’t always come to fruition.

That’s not to suggest that the Blue Jays need an overhaul by any means, and I think the last 10 games or so have provided an example of the potential this team possesses when they’re rolling. Yes, their schedule has gotten a little bit easier from the beginning of the season, but sweeping the Angels and White Sox over seven games is no small feat.

The most important part for the Jays will be getting the most out of the stars that are already on the roster, such as core pieces like Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette, George Springer, and more. That said, there are a few roles in particular that Ross Atkins and the front office could look to address, but that’s based on how things look as of today. That perspective could change in two months time, but for now let’s look at what the Blue Jays could and should be targeting on the trade market, as well as a few suggested solutions from yours truly.

Reinforcing a strength

One of the strongest parts of the Blue Jays roster this season has been their starting rotation. That hasn’t been the case for the entire group of starters, but overall I think the Jays have to be happy with how their pitching staff has performed. Kevin Gausman and Alek Manoah have delivered All-Star calibre performances thus far, Yusei Kikuchi has been solid (although I’ll admit last night was a little rough), and even though it’s been a struggle for Jose Berrios to begin the year, there’s enough upside and history to trust that things will get better for their Opening Day starter.

The Blue Jays have a luxury with four strong arms in their rotation, but the loss of Hyun Jin Ryu to the IL changes the situation a bit. This will already be Ryu’s second trip to the Injured List this season, and while we don’t know how long he’ll be sidelined as of this writing, it doesn’t sound like it’ll be a short absence. Yesterday I wrote about how Nate Pearson could factor into the equation, and how Ross Stripling will be the immediate answer for the #5 spot in the rotation, but I can’t help but wonder if the Jays add another starter before the trade deadline.

In a typical season that might not be a priority for the Blue Jays, but 2022 should be different as they pursue not only a return to the playoffs, but hopefully a much longer stay than their cameo in 2020. That said, I don’t think the Jays will look for a top-shelf candidate to boost the rotation, especially because they’re already very heavily invested in the veteran arms already on their staff.

With that in mind, a veteran on an expiring contract makes a lot of sense, and I’ve got my eye on no Zach Eflin of the Philadelphia Phillies.

It’s entirely possible that the Phillies climb back into the playoff race in the National League, but their season has gotten off to a disappointing start at just 23-29, which puts them third in the NL East and on the outside of the Wild Card picture. The 28 year old wouldn’t be a traditional veteran on an expiring deal, as there could be teams interested in trading for him and then trying to sign him to an extension, but I don’t know if that would be a goal for the Blue Jays.

What would be a goal is finding a starter that can bring reliable production to the table, especially if Ryu is going to be on the sidelines for the long-term, and even more so should they suffer any other injuries to the staff. So far in 2022 Eflin has gone 2-4 with a 3.88 ERA with a 1.14 WHIP over his first nine starts that covered 51.0 innings, striking out 45 in the process. He’s not an ace-level performer by any means, but with the presence of Gausman, Manoah, Berrios, and even Kikuchi, they shouldn’t need that from anyone filling out of the back of the rotation.

Eflin could be a bit of a lofty target even on an expiring deal (that includes a 15 million dollar mutual option for 2023 that I suspect the right-hander would reject), so the Blue Jays could turn to less-inspiring options like Mike Minor of the Reds, or maybe Alex Wood of the Giants should they fall out contention later this summer. Wood is on a two-year contract in San Francisco, but that could have its appeal depending on how serious Ryu’s injury is as well.

For now the Blue Jays have the luxury of having Ross Stripling at the ready on the MLB roster, and thankfully Nate Pearson is getting closer to being able to contribute as well. With other arms like Thomas Hatch, Anthony Kay, and more, the Jays don’t have to hit the panic button in the rotation just yet. However, don’t be surprised if they’re looking for an insurance policy or two when July rolls around, and they could do a lot worse than a hurler like Eflin.

At least one more weapon in the bullpen

The Blue Jays have had more one-run games than any team in baseball so far in 2022, and for the most part their bullpen has done a nice job in these tight contests. That said, they’ve been heavily relied on so far, and the intensity is only going to rise as the season goes on.

Simply put, the Blue Jays would be very wise to find another closer/late-inning type of reliever, and ideally someone with big strikeout stuff.

They have a group of reliable relievers led by Jordan Romano, who fits the description of the type of arm the Blue Jays could really use to reinforce their bullpen. Beyond Romano they’ve really missed Tim Mayza, who is due to come back sooner than later, have utilized Yimi Garcia in their late-innings a fair bit, and instead have had to rely more heavily on guys like Adam Cimber, Trevor Richards, and David Phelps. All three are capable and valuable relievers, but they’re don’t really fit the “stopper” definition of what’s really missing here.

The target I like for the Blue Jays? How about Pittsburgh’s David Bednar. The 27 year old has been very good for the Pirates so far this season, picking up nine saves while posting a 1.38 ERA and a 0.808 WHIP while striking out 35 across 26 innings. He was also included in a recent article from our own Tyson Shushkewich, and I have to admit that I’m on the same page here.

Bednar wouldn’t come cheap, and the Blue Jays might prefer to look for a more cost effective solution. I mostly say that because he’s an effective reliever that would come with at least four more seasons of contract control, and he’s still just 27 years old. His salary will escalate over time, but this year he’s making just $715,000. If the Pirates decide to make him available there will be plenty of suitors, but the Blue Jays should be motivated to be at least near the front of the pack in the bidding.

At 30-21 there is a lot to like about the Blue Jays so far in 2022, and there are plenty of reasons to believe that the best is yet to come even if they don’t add any other players to the roster. That said, the longer this season goes on the more it’s obvious that there’s some special potential here, but that this group could use another piece or three. It’s early and I imagine it’ll be another month before the Blue Jays make any significant moves, but it’s never too soon to start monitoring the market.