3 Atlanta Braves trade targets who should be on the Blue Jays' radar

Look, at some point, you have to stop rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic and actually call the guy with a lifeboat.

And for the Toronto Blue Jays, that guy is Alex Anthopoulos.

You know him. The Canadian architect of Atlanta's World Series run. The one who turned broken pitchers into Cy Young candidates and minor league afterthoughts into 30-homer guys.

But here’s the twist: the empire is wobbling.

The Atlanta Braves look mortal for seemingly the first time in years thanks to culture concerns and injuries stacking up like airline cancellations.

So if you’re the Toronto Blue Jays, with a roster in desperate need of a jolt (or maybe a full-on defibrillator) it's time to pick up the phone. Call Anthopoulos, charm him with some Canadian nostalgia, and make a few trades that change the AL East conversation overnight.

Here are three deals that just make too much sense.

3 Atlanta Braves trade targets the Blue Jays should call Alex Anthopoulos about

Help Atlanta dump some salary and gain some power with Marcell Ozuna

Blue Jays receive: Marcell Ozuna (DH/OF)
Braves receive: Chad Green (RHP), Alan Roden (OF)

Let’s be honest: the Blue Jays are crying out for some power at the plate and Ozuna has some to spare.

Look, I get it. Ozuna is polarizing. He’s had off-field issues. He’s streaky. But here’s the thing: He’s also crushing baseballs like it’s 2020 again. Entering Tuesday's games, he's hit 83 homers over the past two=plus seasons.

Toronto’s DH slot has been a rotating door of missed opportunity. If Ozuna walked into the Rogers Centre, he'd instantly becomes the cleanup hitter. He would protect Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and would give some more breathing room for Anthony Santander.

And for Atlanta? Ozuna’s big contract becomes an easy offload. They shed salary, get a reliable bullpen arm in Green, and a sweet-swinging prospect in Roden who fits the Braves' model of contact-oriented bats with on-base skills.

Let’s not dance around it: the Jays need thump, attitude, and momentum. Ozuna brings all three and might just terrify the AL East in the process.

Go get Grant Holmes for some serious hair game and strikeout power

Blue Jays receive: Grant Holmes (RHP)
Braves receive: Addison Barger (INF/OF), Mason Fluharty (RHP)

Let’s talk about Grant Holmes because nobody else is, and that’s a mistake.

This guy is sneaky good. He's a former first-round pick who’s finally clicking in Atlanta’s system after minor league stints with the Athletics and Dodgers. Holmes posted video-game strikeout numbers in Triple-A last year to earn his call-up, and has already and has already flashed the kind of nasty profile that wins playoff games. His fastball explodes and curveball bites.

Toronto needs more of that.

In exchange the Braves get a big-league ready hitter in Barger and a serviceable depth arm in Fluharty. That’s a win for them while the Jays get a guy who could be the next breakout bullpen star or reliable starter.

This is the kind of trade smart teams make before the rest of the league catches on.

Grab Jarred Kelenic and Joe Jiménez for a veteran push

Blue Jays receive: Jarred Kelenic (OF), Joe Jiménez (RHP)
Braves receive: Will Wagner (INF), Brendon Little (LHP) and a mid-tier prospect

Kelenic is everything that's missing from Toronto's roster: He's raw, emotional, aggressive, and dripping with upside. Yes, he’s inconsistent. Yes, he’s had growing pains. But he’s dynamic when he's on.

He hits the ball hard. He runs like a linebacker. He plays the outfield with zero fear. And he’s only 25.

Toronto needs an outfielder of the future. Daulton Varsho’s glove is elite, but his bat is still streaky. George Springer's played well this year, but he's not getting any younger.

Kelenic would give the Blue Jays a chance to develop a star on your own terms and inject some fire into their clubhouse while also giving the top of the lineup a great lefty bat.

Atlanta, meanwhile, gets a more known quantity in Wagner, a bullpen arm in Little, and a reset on Kelenic without admitting failure. They deal from strength and clean up the fit on their roster.

This is a win-now move with a little bit of chaos, and Toronto needs both.

Jiménez has a knee injury that could keep him out for all of 2025, but he won't be a free agent until after the 2027 season. Imagine a bullpen that goes from Yimi García to Chad Green to Jiménez to Jeff Hoffman. You don’t win October games with vibes, you win them with strikeouts and grit.

Let’s not sugarcoat this: something’s off in Atlanta. Players have been underwhelming and their chemistry looks flat.

Alex Anthopoulos is one of the smartest GMs in baseball, but he’s also pragmatic. If he senses the window is slipping, he’s not going to double down. He’s going to pivot. And that’s where the Jays swoop in. This isn’t a rebuild, this is a readjust. The Braves need depth and health. The Jays need juice and upside.

Anthopoulos loves controllable talent and well-structured deals. Toronto has just enough excess (Barger, Wagner, Little, Fluharty) to build intriguing packages without mortgaging the core. It’s a trade dance between two former partners who know each other’s music.

Ross Atkins, it’s time to dial an old friend.