3 players could be buy low options for Blue Jays at the deadline

The Blue Jays are heading in the right direction to be big buyers at the MLB Trade Deadline and there are plenty of interesting options for them to target. Rather than going after traditional rentals or the biggest name on the market, Toronto should consider a couple of cheaper options.

Cheaper in this context means a minimal prospect haul in return as these three options have been below average this season, but also have star qualities. These players have major risks with them, yet also high reward if they can tap into the potential.

The Blue Jays must examine these three buy low candidates at the MLB Trade Deadline.

Sandy Alcantara, pitcher, Miami Marlins

One of the biggest names on the market before the season was Sandy Alcantara. The Marlins held onto him, thinking they could get a haul at the deadline, but he has gotten off to one of the worst seasons imaginable. His ERA sits at a 7.14 with a 4.71 FIP. Over these last two starts though, Alcantara is turning things around and could find himself back on the trade market.

MLB Insider Jim Bowden does not think the Marlins will trade Alcantara because of his cold start, stating, "Don’t expect the Marlins to trade Sandy Alcantara (7.14 ERA over 13 starts) while his value is down. Instead, they’re expected to keep him until he regains his Cy Young Award form, which might not happen until later this year and maybe even next."

Even though Bowden thinks he is off the market, maybe this is where the Blue Jays can sneakily work out a deal. Since he is expensive and is having a down season, Toronto may be able to get away with acquiring a former Cy Young winner for a cheap prospect package. As he said later in the article talking about a Paul Skenes trade, "never say never."

Luis Robert Jr.

The White Sox as a team have gotten off to a bad start this season, and Luis Robert Jr. isn't helping them as much as they would have hoped. They surprisingly held onto him last deadline and that is looking more and more like a mistake. Even with a wRC+ of 63 and a 31% strikeout rate, Robert Jr. is a very talented player with All-Star upside, so taking a gamble on him to rebound in a solid offensive lineup makes sense.

Francys Romero reported that even with the slow start, teams like the Yankees, Phillies, and Mariners are expected to still have conversations about him. With that being said, the Blue Jays should defintiely monitor that market too.

With Daulton Varsho constantly dealing with injuries, it may make sense to bring in anther outfielder. Jonatan Clase cannot be an everyday starter and George Springer should take more DH opportunties with his age. Adding Robert would boost the whole team overall and with his OPS below .600, why not go after him, since normally it would cost a guy like Trey Yesavage and more.

Kyle Freeland

Lastly, Kyle Freeland from the Rockies is someone the Blue Jays should target. As hard as it is to pitch at Coors Field, Freeland has still remained one of their better players. Nonetheless, he still has an ERA over five this season, including a 3.64 on the road. The Rockies don't have much to offer this season, so Freeland may have a bigger market than expected, but he still is not anything more than a backend starter.

The Blue Jays need a lefty in the rotation and Freeland is the player to plug in to fill that hole. He won't be too expensive as he is a back-end player and really would be the five in Toronto's rotation. A package for him would be a fun one and Colorado desperatley wants to rebuild their team, so they may push for whatever comes their way on him.