Alex Bregman one of several players who could help Blue Jays rivals at deadline

The American League continues to be a pack of mediocrity at the halfway point of the season. While the Detroit Tigers sit at the front of the pack with a healthy lead in the Central Division, the other division leaders, the New York Yankees and the Houston Astros, are one bad week away from losing their spots within the East and West respectively. The Wild Card scene is even more jammed with nine teams either holding a wild card spot, or within 3.5 games of one.

Alex Bregman one of several players who could help Blue Jays rivals in postseason push

The Toronto Blue Jays are right in the middle at 42-36, 2.5 games back of the Yankees and just ahead of the last wild card spot. While it’s clear they will need to make some upgrades at the deadline, the same is true for the teams around them. ESPN’s Jeff Passan recently released a list of the top 50 MLB trade deadline candidates and those teams around the Blue Jays were mentioned among the organizations who could be making noise at the deadline.

Here’s a look at what five of the Blue Jays closets competitors could do a month from now.
(Playoff odds calculated by Baseball Reference)

1. Yankees, playoff odds: 98.7%

The Yankees playoff odds could go even higher if they were to land one of the third baseman whom Passan tagged as being available. He says the Yankees are a fit to land third baseman Alex Bregman from the Red Sox, Eugenio Suarez from the Diamondbacks, Ryan McMahon from the Rockies, or Nolan Arenado from the Cardinals. He adds relief pitchers Ryan Helsley from St. Louis and Reid Detmers from the Angels are potential fits in New York.

If the Yankees land any one of those infielders, along with a pitcher of this calibre for the back end of their bullpen, the AL East may be locked up by the 27-time world champions.

2. Rays, playoff odds: 91.7%

Despite the Rays being in a great position to make the playoffs, Passan doesn’t have the Rays making any acquisitions at the deadline. Instead, he lists two pitchers as being assets for which the Rays could sell off to other playoff impending teams. He says there is a 60% chance the Rays trade reliever Pete Fairbanks and starter Zack Littell is ranked 31st on Passan’s list. These are two pitchers having good seasons with Tampa and if the Rays were to move them, it wouldn’t derail their season, but likely detract from what they are hoping to accomplish.

3. Seattle Mariners, playoff odds: 70.7%

Passan has seven players listed as potential fits with the Mariners. From a reunion with third baseman Suarez, to adding outfielder Adolis Garcia from the division rival Texas Rangers, Passan feels the Mariners will be active at the deadline and looking to add a top 50 candidate. It comes down to the Mariners needing help in the lineup and that’s why he’s also got them as fits for first basemen Josh Naylor, Ryan O’Hearn, Designated Hitter Marcell Ozuna, third basemen McMahon and Arenado, and outfielder Taylor Ward.

What’s interesting is that the Blue Jays also have a need to add one more bat to their lineup and while they could be targeting these exact same players, Passan doesn’t have the Blue Jays as fits for any of them.

4. Red Sox, playoff odds: 40.7%

The Red Sox have better playoff odds than the Blue Jays but that hasn’t stopped Passan from listing them as a team who has plenty to give away at the deadline. He says there is a 10% chance they trade Bregman who has an opt out in his contract after this season. Passan adds there is a 25% chance they deal outfielder Jarren Duran, and a 35% chance they could deal relief pitcher Aroldis Chapman and starter Walker Buehler.

However, he adds the Red Sox could also be fits to get some of these top candidates in return. He says the Red Sox are a fit to trade for the likes of starting pitchers Sandy Alcantara, Freddy Peralta, Merrill Kelly, and Tyler Mahle. He adds they would be interested in some hitters including Naylor, O’Hearn and Ozuna. They are right on the cusp of ‘will they or won’t they’ when it comes to a postseason berth and the moves they make at the deadline will give them a definitive answer.

5. Cleveland, playoff odds: 39.2%

Eight different players could fit the bill for the Guardians and their hopes of returning to the postseason. Like the Blue Jays and the Mariners, the Guardians are looking to add to their offense and could be in the mix for an outfielder such as Durran, Ozuna, Cedric Mullins, Luis Robert Jr., Ward, or Garcia. But there’s also the chance they move a prized reliever in closer Emmanual Clase. Passan thinks there is a 20% chance they deal him because he’s under contract through 2028 and will earn less than $30 million over these next three seasons.

If the Blue Jays end up battling for a wild card spot throughout the rest of the summer, it could come down to whichever team snags one of these players at the deadline that makes the difference.