Breaking down Blue Jays' blockbuster trade options for lineup after ESPN's speculation

The entire industry is expecting the Toronto Blue Jays to be buyers at this year's MLB trade deadline. Despite the team being under .500 going into last night's action (Jun. 17) there is a general consensus that the Blue Jays are going to make moves to improve the big league club at some point soon.

Many expect the Blue Jays to be targeting pitching, mostly of the starting variety, as they were linked to just about every single arm that is expected to be available on the trade market. However, the Blue Jays were also linked to some big name infielders in ESPN's latest trade deadline candidates article that was put together by Jeff Passan and Kiley McDaniel.

It makes sense considering the Blue Jays need some thump in their order and the most likely area they can upgrade the roster defensively is up the middle. While Ernie Clement is playing at an All-Star level, and Andrés Giménez has performed to his career norms - throwing in an extra playing here that can upgrade the lineup seems like an area the Blue Jays will be targeting.

The infielders the Blue Jays could target at the trade deadline would upgrade their lineup

The top position player linked to the Blue Jays in the article is Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena. He is a plus defender at shotstop with a strong power / speed combination. He was worth 5.7 fWAR last season and is currently slashing .274/.340/.392 with a 107 wRC+. Those numbers exceed what Giménez is currently contributing, but with Pena being a righty and Giménez being a lefty, and with Giménez having spent most of last season (and the previous six years) at second base there could be a very nice platoon combination happening between Pena, Giménez, and Clement.

The Blue Jays are one of four teams linked to Washington Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams, with the Atlanta Braves, Tampa Bay Rays and New York Yankees being the others. Abrams is on pace to set career highs in most major offensive categories and just like Pena, he brings power, speed and a plus glove to the position. He's currently slashing .285/.370/.506. The only downside is he bats from the left side and the Blue Jays currently have an abundance of lefties in the lineup.

Speaking of left-handed batters, a guy who has seemingly been linked to the Blue Jays on-and-off over the years is Luis Arraez. The 2026 MLB trade deadline will be no exception to churning out the rumors that Arraez is on the Blue Jays radar. There was a time where he felt like the perfect fit, back when the Blue Jays felt too right-handed in the lineup and had too many players that didn't put the ball in play consistently enough. Now it's just the opposite as Toronto has plenty of lefties in the lineup and most of those guys aren't failing to put the ball in play, but it's the lack of power which is hurting the Blue Jays at the moment.

Despite this, the Blue Jays were among eight teams named as best fits to land Arraez who is slashing .324/.356/.442 with a 121 wRC+. Those numbers will play in Toronto's lineup no matter how many lefties are surrounding him.

If Toronto is dead set on balancing the lineup though, Gleyber Torres of the Detroit Tigers, could be a solution. He'll be a free agent at the end of the season and the former Yankee is doing his best to set himself up for a big money contract this offseason. He's slashing .280/.395/.395 with a 126 wRC+. He's not a great defender, sporting a -0.7 defensive fWAR, so this would be another platoon situation where Torres would likely get more reps as a DH on days they face left-handed pitchers.

Finally, there is Matt Shaw, an utility player who was a 2023 first round draft pick of the Chicago Cubs and won't be a free agent until after the 2031 season. This would be an aquisition that is not just about the present, but helping shape the infield of the team's future as well. Shaw is currently blocked from being a full-time player in Chicago with the Cubs sporting a defensive alignment of Alex Bregman at third, Dansby Swanson at short and Nico Hoerner at second. All three of those guys are also locked in to long-term deals and that has given Shaw some playing time in the outfield.

Shaw isn't blowing anyone away with his .257/.313/.419 slash line, but so many experts are saying that the potential is there and that the 24-year-old right-handed hitter just needs more reps. In order to get that in Toronto, something will have to give with the Blue Jays likely having to deal Clement or Giménez to make that happen or take away at-bats from their left-handed hitting outfielders making a platoon with Addison Barger a likely scenario. While it is unlikely they get him, if the Blue Jays feel like they can strike gold here, like they did with the Brandon Valenzuela trade a year ago, then don't be surprised if his name keeps surfacing within the Blue Jays' rumor mill.

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