A division rival could be the Blue Jays’ best trade fit to address pitching issues

The Toronto Blue Jays have had some struggles this season, as evidenced by their 28-29 record (going into May 29), but the Blue Jays are also starting to trend in the right direction. The team has won seven out of their last 10 games, which is undoubtedly a major step in the right direction. Due to their recent success, Toronto currently has the final wild card spot in the American League.

While the Blue Jays are currently holding a playoff spot, the playoff race is incredibly tight. Teams like the Athletics, Minnesota Twins, and Baltimore Orioles are two or less games behind them, so Toronto will need to stay hot if they hope to maintain that playoff spot.

With this, it would not be surprising in the slightest if the Blue Jays looked to make some additions to their roster soon. This is especially so when noting that they have been dealing with serious injury trouble throughout this season.

When looking at potential trading partners for the Blue Jays, the Boston Red Sox stand out. The Red Sox currently have an underwhelming 23-32 record, and they will very likely be sellers if they do not turn things around quickly.

Two Red Sox trade candidates who the Blue Jays should strongly consider targeting if Boston decides to sell are reliever Aroldis Chapman and starter Sonny Gray. Both of these pitchers would have the potential to help the Blue Jays' immensely as they look to emerge as true contenders.

Chapman & Gray would give the Blue Jays two former All-Star pitchers to work with

If the Blue Jays struck a deal for Chapman, he would be a major pickup for their bullpen. While Chapman is 38 years old, he is still a star reliever at this stage in his career. In 18 appearances this season with the Red Sox, he has an impressive 0.51 ERA, 12 saves, and 23 strikeouts. This is after the eight-time All-Star had a 5-3 record, 32 saves, and 85 strikeouts in 67 games last season.

WIth numbers like these, Chapman would give the Blue Jays another clear option for their closer role. At a minimum, he would be an elite setup man for Toronto, which would not be a bad thing in the slightest.

As for Gray, the 36-year-old would give the Blue Jays another much-needed starter for their rotation. The three-time All-Star has been good on a struggling Red Sox team this year, as he has a 5-1 record, a 3.27 ERA, and 34 strikeouts. The 5-foot-10 righty would be a nice pickup for the middle of the Blue Jays' rotation with numbers like these.

Ultimately, with the Blue Jays need more pitching, and they should strongly consider pursuing both Chapman and Gray this season. They would each have the potential to be good fits on Toronto's roster.

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