3 trade deadline targets the Blue Jays would be smart to consider

Target No. 3: 1B Yandy Díaz, Tampa Bay Rays

Outside of power, there’s one position where the Blue Jays haven't gotten a ton of production, and that's third base. Ernie Clement and Will Wagner have split the duties at the hot corner and have combined for a slash line of .213/.268/.267. Both guys have shown signs of breaking out, but an upgrade at third is something to keep an eye out for.

The 33-year-old Díaz has been one of the best hitters in the game over the last three seasons, as he's compiled 10 bWAR since 2022 and has hit .297 with an OPS of .826. He also won the American League batting title in 2023 when he hit .330.

Why it works

Díaz would bring elite on-base skills and find the deep gaps in the Rogers Centre outfield, which is evident in the fact he's hit 99 doubles and 45 home runs since 2022.

While he's a prototypical power guy, he’s someone who can length a lineup no matter where he's hitting. While he’s gotten off to a slow start this season (.230/.269/.379), he's a notorious slow starter, as his .260 batting average in May is the second-lowest in a month for his career.

He also has an extensive postseason resume (97 at-bats in 27 postseason games) and is a career .265 hitter at Rogers Centre and a career .286 hitter against the Blue Jays.

Why it doesn’t work

Díaz hasn’t played a lot of third base for quite some time. In fact, the last game he played third base in the regular season was in July 2023. He’s a primary first baseman/designated hitter, but got some buzz as a third base option in trade talks over the winter.

The other caveat is that inter-division trades are hard to pull off, especially for two teams expected to be competing for a wild card spot. The Rays also exercised their 2026 option on Díaz during spring training, and also have a vesting option for him for 2027.

Díaz’s option will pay him $12 million in 2026. If he reaches 500 plate appearances in 2026, he'll make $13 million in 2027. If he fails to reach that, it'll turn into a $10 million club option for '27.

The Blue Jays and Rays linked up for a trade for Brandon Eisert earlier this year, but a trade for Díaz would be in a different territory.