3 players Blue Jays should absolutely trade at the deadline

The MLB trade deadline is over a week away, and the market for available players is expected to get tight for the league.

The Blue Jays find themselves in a position that almost nobody anticipated at the start of the season: in contention for their first American League East division title since 2015. Before the Blue Jays' first pitch of 2025, Fangraphs gave Toronto a 43.6% chance to make the playoffs, and a 15.6% chance to win the division.

Today, the percentages have increased drastically to 91.9% (making the playoffs) and 49.4% (winning the division title). Thanks to their 33-15 record since May 27, the Blue Jays are now big buyers and may have some interesting pieces teams may want to acquire.

With the Blue Jays looking to hang on to their division lead and potentially secure a first-round bye in the playoffs, here are three players the team should part ways with next week.

Arjun Nimmala, Shortstop (High A Vancouver)

Back on July 17, MLB insider Jim Bowden stated the Blue Jays would be willing to deal their top prospects at the trade deadline. If that's the case, then the first player who should be on the block is the Blue Jays' number one prospect, shortstop Arjun Nimmala.

Yes, it would most likely be a bold move to make if the Blue Jays are expected to be aggressive buyers, including Bo Bichette's status with the team after 2025. However, The Blue Jays' top prospect, according to MLB.com, is expected to reach the big leagues in 2028, a ways to go for the young talent.

So far this season for High-A Vancouver, Nimmala has hit 11 home runs with 38 RBIs. His OPS sits at .735 and wRC+ at 101. Ideally, the Blue Jays would want to trade for somebody with years of control, a reason why you'd deal your top prospect. The ceiling is high for Nimmala, and despite sitting at the 46th-ranked prospect by MLB, he should garner the interest of opposing teams for a win-now Toronto ball club.

Joey Loperfido, Outfielder (Toronto)

Acquired in a trade with the Houston Astros for Yusei Kikuchi last season, Loperfido has split his time between Toronto and Triple-A Buffalo. He was called up on July 6 after Andres Gimenez was placed on the injured list with an ankle injury. Since his return to the main roster, Loperfido has begun to break out at the plate.

In 10 appearances, Loperfido has been slashing .310/.355/.448 with an OPS of .803. In his second game back from the minors, the young outfielder went two-for-four with a home run to help the Blue Jays beat the White Sox 8-4. He's become a reliable bat off the bench to insert into the lineup, and that's why he needs to be dealt.

Toronto's outfield depth is one of the deepest across the Major Leagues, with multiple players able to be shuffled around for manager John Schneider. While that's a great problem to have, it'll become an issue upon the return of Daulton Varsho, Anthony Santander, and even Andres Gimenez. His current breakout in a short amount of time should be enough for teams to call Atkins and inquire.

Will Wagner, Outfielder (Toronto)

As mentioned above, Toronto has an influx of outfielders. Naturally, the instinct is to select another outfielder to put on the block given their depth, and that player is Will Wagner.

Called up at the end of June from Triple-A Buffalo, Wagner has split his time between first base, third base, and designated hitter. He's currently slashing .247/.352/.323 with 6 RBIs and an OPS of .674.

Similar to Loperfido's situation, injury returns most likely displace Wagner in the lineup and on the field. While Wagner has options to be sent down to Triple-A, there's value in trading for somebody who can play multiple positions and can come off the bench. Wagner should easily be included in a package for a high end player in return.