3 players the Blue Jays are glad they didn’t land at the trade deadline 

The Toronto Blue Jays, for the most part, must be happy so far with the moves they made at the Trade Deadline. Veteran first baseman Ty France has seamlessly infused himself into the Jays’ offensive lineup while reliever Louis Varland has become an integral part of their bullpen. More importantly, their biggest acquisition in former Cy Young winner Shane Bieber has looked great in his rehab outings and is set to make his debut for Toronto later this week.

At the same time, the Blue Jays had some potential trade targets that have ended up struggling immensely since being moved at the deadline. Let’s take a look at three of those players that the Blue Jays are glad they didn’t end up landing.

3 players the Blue Jays are glad they didn’t land at the trade deadline 

P Adrian Houser

With the Blue Jays in the market for some starting pitching at the trade deadline, Matt Postins of Sports Illustrated suggested the Blue Jays were interested in Adrian Houser, who was a part of the Chicago White Sox organization at the time.

It made total sense as Houser was putting together a career year with Chicago since joining the club in May after his release from the Texas Rangers organization. The 32-year-old veteran held an ERA below 2.00 while holding the opposition to just three home runs all year with the White Sox. Postins speculated it would have likely cost the Jays two prospects to get a deal done.

However, since being dealt to the Tampa Bay Rays at the deadline, Houser has struggled. He has posted an 0-2 record with a 5.10 ERA, 1.60 WHIP, while giving up nine earned runs including two home runs in just 15 2/3 innings pitched. With the results that Bieber has shown pitching in his rehab starts so far, it looks like the Jays made the right decision on their starting pitcher option. 

3B Eugenio Suárez 

With Toronto looking for a power boost in their lineup, there was no better target at the trade deadline than former Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suárez. At the time, Suárez was among the top five in the league in home runs and RBIs and was believed to be a game-changing power bat for any contender.

Once the 34-year-old slugger rejoined his former team in Seattle he appeared to be a completely different player, struggling immensely to a .150 batting average, .483 OPS, along with just eight runs scored, two doubles, two home runs and seven RBIs in 16 games played. Far off his pace of 50+ home runs and 120+ RBIs he was putting up with the Diamondbacks.

Just for comparison, the Jays usual third baseman Ernie Clement has registered a solid .290 average, .866 OPS with 12 runs scored, four home runs and nine RBIs over that same stretch since the deadline. Toronto appears to be doing just fine with what they have in the suddenly slugging Clement.

P Ryan Helsley

Finally, with the Jays desperate for some legitimate bullpen help at the trade deadline, Ryan Helsley was certainly a name that was high on their shopping list. With 21 saves and a solid 3.00 ERA on the season with the St. Louis Cardinals, the flamethrower could have been a difference maker for Toronto down the stretch. In fact, the Jays were in the running for the star closer, as per sources according to Mark Feinsand, until Helsley eventually landed with the New York Mets.

But the 31-year-old right-handed reliever has been a shell of his former self since moving to Queens, posting an abysmal 7.11 ERA, 2.05 WHIP, giving up nine runs (five earned) in 6 1/3 innings pitched in eight appearances. In fact, he has blown three saves, taken three losses and has given up runs in five of his eight outings. For someone that was known to be a surefire, lockdown closer, Helsley has been anything but that with the Mets.

While Varland may have had a couple of glitches the past couple of outings, he has been a reliable strikeout arm coming out of the 'pen for the Jays since joining the team. So for the cost that Toronto had to give up to the Twins, which also netted them France, compared to the prospect haul that the Mets gave up just for Helsley, let’s just say sometimes the best trade is the one that you don’t make.