4 players Blue Jays would be foolish to include in trade deadline fire sale

With the 2026 MLB Trade Deadline rapidly approaching, the Toronto Blue Jays are standing as very likely sellers. Because of this, several of their players have created a lot of chatter in the rumor mill as trade candidates.

Among the Blue Jays' top trade candidates to watch leading up to the deadline include Shane Bieber, Kevin Gausman, Daulton Varsho, George Springer, and Max Scherzer. With this, the Blue Jays could be very active over the next few days.

Yet, even if the Blue Jays officially elect to be sellers, that does not mean that they should do a complete fire sale. They have multiple players who they should not even consider trading ahead of the deadline.

Four specific players who the Blue Jays should not even consider moving are Vladimir Guerrero Jr, Dylan Cease, Kazuma Okamoto, and Alejandro Kirk. They each are incredibly important parts of the Blue Jays' present and future, so they should be untouchable.

Why the Blue Jays should not even consider trading these four Blue Jays

While Guerrero is having a down year, he is still the heart and soul of the Blue Jays' core. He is also in just the first season of his 14-year, $500 million contract, so he is obviously the player they will be continuing to build their franchise around. He also has a full no-trade clause, so he would need to give the green light for any potential move.

It is very easy to understand why the Blue Jays should not consider moving Cease. The 30-year-old star pitcher has been dominant during his first season in Toronto. In 19 games, the 6-foot-2 righty has a 7-5 record, a 2.46 ERA, and 167 strikeouts. With that and Cease being locked up until 2032, he is another clear core piece to keep around.

Okamoto has had an strong rookie season for the Blue Jays. In 102 games, he has an impressive 23 home runs, which is now the most by a Japanese rookie in MLB history. With how well he has adjusted to the major league level, it is clear that he is another player Toronto should be keeping around as they look to bounce back next season.

As for Kirk, there is really no reason for the Blue Jays to consider trading him either. He is signed through the 2030 season and is another star who is a part of Toronto's core. It would also be hard to find a proper replacement for him, as he is a high-impact catcher when playing at his best and when he is healthy.

Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see what kinds of moves the Blue Jays make ahead of the deadline. Yet, when it comes to these four, they should be safe.

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