Blue Jays front office should be more motivated than ever to make significant moves at the trade deadline

The Toronto Blue Jays have just swept the New York Yankees in a four-game series. Last night's win pulls them to the top of the AL East standings for the first time April 13. They've proven they can go toe-to-toe with the big sluggers in the Yankees lineup and that means there's an opportunity to carry a ton of momentum to the second half of the season.

It's not just the bats carrying the Blue Jays; FanGraphs has them ranked first in team defense so far this season. If the recent play of the team doesn't light a fire under Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations/General Manager Ross Atkins to be aggressive at the trade deadline, then I don't know what will.

What are the Blue Jays' needs heading into the second half of the season?

Healthy Anthony Santander and Daulton Varsho

First, the team needs Anthony Santander and Daulton Varsho to return to the lineup from the injured list. Varsho is recovering from a hamstring injury and is expected to return towards the end of July. Santander, meanwhile, hasn't started hitting due to shoulder inflammation, but there's no timetable for his return.

Santander has struggled this season, hitting .179/.273/.304 with just six home runs, 14 runs, and 18 knocked in. The team needs him to return to his form flast season form where he hit 44 home runs for the Baltimore Orioles. Hopefully his time on the injured list can help him find his power swing.

Depth Bat

If Santander is going to be out for a significant time, then a designated hitter is needed. Ryan O'Hearn with the Baltimore Orioles would be a home run acquisition. O'Hearn can also play right field and first base, so he'd be a great depth addition even if Santander returns in July.

The 31-year-old is having his best season and will be a free agent at the end of the season. With the Orioles trying to get Coby Mayo and Samuel Basallo more MLB experience, it means O'Hearn will be a popular trade target. He's hitting .294/.381/.472 with 11 home runs, 34 runs, and has knocked in 30. The lefty would fit in nicely in the middle of the Blue Jays' lineup.

Starting Pitcher

Kevin Gausman, Chris Bassitt, and Max Scherzer all have ERAs higher than 4.00, but none will be replaced. The Blue Jays will hope each can return to their top form in the second half. Eric Lauer has done an exceptional job filling in for Bowden Francis, who landed on the injury list. Still, Lauer is a long reliever and is needed to pitch multiple innings, thereby limiting the number of bullpen arms required.

Andrew Heaney of the Pittsburgh Pirates may not be the most exciting addition for fans, but he's known for being a durable innings-eater. He's thrown 120 or more innings in three of the last four seasons and has thrown 93 this season already. This move brings a much-needed lefty into the starting rotation and can be a rental while Francis gets his struggles figured out and Alex Manoah recovers from a UCL injury that he suffered last season.

Left-handed bullpen arm

The Blue Jays have the 11th-best bullpen in MLB (3.71), but with only two left-handed pitchers, adding another would be beneficial. Reid Detmers of the Angels struggled as a starting pitcher in his first four MLB seasons but fully transitioned to a reliever this season.

He has a 4.10 ERA over 37 1/3 innings and has a 47:23 strikeout:walk ratio. These aren't impressive numbers, but a three-game span at the beginning of the season, where he gave up 12 earned runs, heavily skews them. Over his last 19 outings, he hasn't allowed an earned run. He's only 25 and still has three seasons of arbitration eligibility, so that he would be a long-term answer. The lefty can even log some starts if the starting rotation needs assistance.