5 of the worst trade deadline deals in Blue Jays history

When it comes to making deals at the MLB trade deadline, the key to success for any team is to make sure that the player(s) they receive in return end up being impactful for the organization. Whether it be for a contending team or a rebuilding team, "losing" a trade can have major impacts on the team for years to come.

For the Toronto Blue Jays, they have lost several trades at the deadline over the years, and some that they would clearly like a re-do on. As a result, we will take a look back at 5 of the worst trade deadline deals in Blue Jays history and, at the same time, sincerely hope that they won’t make a similar mistake this time around in 2025.

For the purpose of this piece, trade deals that were made within a couple of weeks prior to the trade deadline will still be considered a trade deadline deal.

5 of the worst trade deadline deals in Blue Jays history

2023 – Blue Jays acquired INF Paul DeJong and cash from the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for P Matt Svanson

Compared to some of the big-name players that the Jays have moved or acquired at the trade deadline over the years, the one involving Paul DeJong might not be one of the most prominent ones made by Toronto. But it will forever be remembered due to the atrocity in his performance as a result of the acquisition.

When Bo Bichette was injured right before the eve of the trade deadline, the Jays scrambled to find his temporary replacement by trading for DeJong of the St. Louis Cardinals. In exchange they sent young pitching prospect Matt Svanson. However, the veteran infielder bombed out completely in his short tenure with Toronto.

In 13 games of action, DeJong recorded just three hits for a .068 average, .136 OPS, one RBI and a whopping 18 strikeouts in 44 total at-bats. With that, the Jays had no choice but to rush Bichette back from injury and ultimately designated DeJong for assignment just a little over two weeks after joining the club. By accumulating a -77 wRC+, he was hands-down one of the worst hitters the Jays had in franchise history. 

If that wasn’t bad enough, Matt Svanson has ascended from High-A to the majors in just a span of two years while evolving into a dominant reliever in the Cardinals organization. This season with St. Louis, he has posted a solid 3.12 ERA, 0.81 WHIP, along with 24 strikeouts in 26 innings pitched over 17 appearances and has become a trusted arm coming out of their bullpen. The Jays, who are currently pursuing bullpen help, could have used Svanson to solidify their relief corps.