Bo Bichette and 2 other Mets trade targets for the Blue Jays

Everybody knows that the Toronto Blue Jays' 2026 season hasn't gone according to plan. A losing record by the MLB All-Star Break, last in the American League East, and a cold offense are not what anybody hoped to see after last year's success.

Although there's pressure coming off a World Series appearance, there may not be a bigger team in MLB with more pressure than the New York Mets. SNY Mets reporter Chelsea James reported on X that a rival executive said the Mets alerted the league that they're "open for business" for the trade deadline.

And when the Mets mean "open for business," they literally mean they're open. Everybody except for Carson Benge, A.J. Ewing, Christian Scott, Nolan McLean, and Juan Soto is available to be traded. That means an old friend like Bo Bichette is available at the trade deadline. Of course, that also includes Francisco Lindor, but why would the Blue Jays do that with the contract he has?

With the door open for Bichette to return to Toronto, here's why he and two other choices are reasonable for the Blue Jays to pursue.

Bichette, Freddy Peralta, and Devin Williams should be on Toronto's radar

Bo Bichette

Let's start with the obvious: it would certainly be great to see Bo Bichette return to Toronto. Bichette signed a three-year, $126 million contract this past offseason with the New York Mets. The three-year deal includes a full no-trade clause but does have opt-outs after the first and second seasons.

Back in June, MLB insider Bob Nightengale reported Bichette was expected to opt out of his contract after this season, which could fire up the trade rumors despite the no-trade clause. A reunion with Toronto makes sense on the offensive side.

Slashing .255/.300/.376 with an OPS of .677, Bichette has hit 10 home runs with 51 RBIs in 96 games. Bichette would provide a boost for a team that's struggling with runners in scoring position, as he has 38 RBIs and is batting .260.

Returning to splitting time at shortstop with Andres Gimenez or even inserting him into a DH role would do wonders for Toronto. Plus, a reunion with his best friend, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., is never a bad thing.

Freddy Peralta

Starting pitching has become a major concern for the Blue Jays. With injury concerns in examples like Max Scherzer and inconsistencies like Shane Bieber and Trey Yesavage, the hunt for a reliable fifth starter seems to be on for the deadline.

Insert Freddy Peralta. Leading the Mets with 20 games started, he's thrown 104 strikes in 104.1 innings, with an ERA of 4.66. The two-time All-Star was fifth in Cy Young voting in 2025. So why bring him on to the Blue Jays?

For starters, he would be backed by one of the best defenses in the league, similar to Dylan Cease's situation, where his stats in San Diego never told the whole story. The Mets rank 22nd in the league in defensive value (- 8.8). The Blue Jays are sixth with a value of 12.9. Toronto needs consistency on the mound and ironmen, and Peralta would fit that bill.

Devin Williams

Is it a surprise Devin Williams is available for the trade deadline? Yes and no. Williams signed a three-year, $51 million contract with the Mets this past offseason. A former Rookie of the Year winner in 2020, Williams is currently posting a 3-2 record with a 4.83 ERA and 13 saves in 23 games.

Williams is a welcome addition to any bullpen. His ability to make pitchers chase, swing, and strike out is among the best in the league, with each of those three categories sitting above the 90th percentile. Toronto sits eighth in the league in strikeouts (849), and a strikeout machine like Williams won't hurt.

That said, adding Williams will certainly alleviate the ever-polarizing Jeff Hoffman, who continues to be used in high-leverage situations. Bringing in another high-leverage player in Williams may help ease Hoffman's workload.

With pitchers like Tyler Rogers and Louis Varland on the team, adding Williams is a step in the right direction to help support the starting pitching. If the Blue Jays are willing to take on the contract for bullpen depth, then you definitely pull the trigger.

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