MLB insiders name Blue Jays ‘best fit’ for former rival’s ace at trade deadline

The Toronto Blue Jays have a need for some starting pitching depth ever since Max Scherzer went down to injury following his debut with the club in March of 2025. But with the recent return of Scherzer and the sudden emergence of Eric Lauer as a reliable option, the Jays rotation appears to be stabilizing for now. However, with injuries and ineffectiveness highly unpredictable, you can never have enough pitching, especially after seeing the same issue resurface again and again for Toronto during the past couple of seasons. 

With that in mind, MLB insiders Jeff Passan and Kiley McDaniel recently named the Blue Jays as a best fit for former New York Yankees ace Luis Severino at the trade deadline, despite having just a 40% chance he would be moved. Severino currently plays for the Athletics, but carries a hefty salary of two more years at $47 million.

MLB insiders name Blue Jays ‘best fit’ for former rival’s ace at trade deadline

The 31-year-old right-hander may not be having his best season, with a gaudy 4.83 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, giving up an American League high 54 earned runs on 105 hits in 100 2/3 innings pitched. However, as pointed out by Passan and McDaniel, his road splits have been unbelievable to date. Playing away from home, Severino has compiled a 2-1 record with a stellar 2.27 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, yielding only two home runs in 43 2/3 innings pitched. So perhaps a move away from West Sacramento is just what he needs to perform at a top level.

Severino is well-known by the Jays, after being a thorn in their side over the years as a starter for the Yankees. In 18 career appearances against Toronto, he sports a 6-3 record with an ERA below four, 1.21 WHIP, along with a whopping 94 strikeouts in just 79 1/3 total innings.  So instead of wreaking havoc on the Jays on a perennial basis, perhaps finally having Severino on their side could do wonders for the team.

Severino would likely slot in the back end of the rotation if he were to join Toronto. But in addition to the Jays, Passan and McDaniel also named the Chicago Cubs, Baltimore Orioles and New York Mets as potential fits as well. So Toronto may need to beat out the competition if they were indeed serious about the veteran righty. Nevertheless, what could dictate the potential move will depend on how Scherzer and Lauer perform in the coming weeks. That way, it would give a better indication for the Jays on how desperate they actually need starting pitching help.