Are the Blue Jays deadline plans set in stone?

What a difference a year makes.

This time last season the Toronto Blue Jays were flying out of Cleveland after being swept by the Guardians in three straight, in the midst of dropping seven straight games. This season they are leaving Cleveland riding the coattails of erstwhile pitcher Kevin Gausman to a series victory over one of their American League rivals.

The Blue Jays have made a lot of progress in the past year. If the season ended right now they would be in the playoffs and they have played a more entertaining brand of baseball. When the bottom of the lineup is getting the job done so frequently, there is a certain layer of magic in the season.

Most importantly, the organization is squarely in the middle of a prime contention window. This player core and management staff won't be here forever. The time to win is now. Who knows how long the manager or prominent members of the front office will keep cashing their paychecks with Toronto?

The easy conclusion to reach is that the Blue Jays should be buying everything in sight. There's a lot of truth in that statement, but the Jays aren't the only team looking to improve themselves this summer. In a prime seller's market, there will be an abundance of teams who feel like they have a shot in the expanded playoff format.

The Blue Jays can use a starting pitcher or two, but so can a laundry list of other teams. Yahoo Sports recently delved into team needs and their conclusions about Toronto are important to consider as we approach trading season.

"This farm system isn't very good, so it's difficult to envision how the Jays go about upgrading their roster beyond a depth starter to shore up the rotation."

The Blue Jays were recently ranked as the No. 27 farm system even though they are headlined by Trey Yesavage and Arjun Nimmala. It feels like Toronto may not have the prospects to trade, but they should have money to spend with so many pending free agents. For a franchise already over the first luxury tax barrier, this can be a perfect opportunity to flex the muscles of their pocketbook.

Pending free agent Bo Bichette was mentioned as a player that will draw eyeballs if the team enters a prolonged losing streak over the next five weeks. Bichette is moving past his nightmare 2024 season and his overall game looks a lot better. He is hitting .272 with 11 home runs and 48 RBI, numbers which are on pace to meet his historical norms as a player.

Simply put, it would take a ridiculous losing streak for the Blue Jays to even consider trading Bichette this trade deadline, especially when the organization is so aligned in its goal of winning now. Of course his name would draw plenty of interest around the league, but at what price?

Plus, Bichette has remained amenable to spending his entire career in a Toronto uniform. With his friend Vladimir Guerrero Jr. locked up for the foreseeable future, the time is now to join a core in bringing championships to Canada.

The Blue Jays should be doing everything they can to maximize their chances of winning. Their loyal fans deserve an opportunity to watch postseason baseball return to Canada once again. The players on the roster deserve reinforcements to bolster the talent level.

Even though the trade deadline may not fix every problem that ails the club, the next five weeks are a chance for the organization to take one last bite at the apple.