4 Blue Jays most likely to be traded this offseason

The ofseason is here and the Toronto Blue Jays have numerous decisions to make. As things stand, they are not a genuine contender, but also not a bad team in need of a rebuild.

This leads to questions about what the Blue Jays can do, to improve the roster and make themselves a viable candidate to compete for the World Series next year? This will be the most important offseason of Ross Atkins' tenure in Toronto, with him already -- quite rightly -- under increasing pressure.

When it comes to what decisions and moves Atikins makes, this includes decided who needs to be moved. Here is a look at four trade candidates, who for different reasons can help bring in the right pieces to strengthen the team:

Yusei Kikuchi

We can appreciate why some people will question the Blue Jays wanting to trade Yusei Kikuchi. After all, he became an integral part of the rotation in 2023 after entering the season facing low expectations.

Kikuchi had his best campaign yet in five years of Major League action, as he equalled his previous high of 32 starts. He set single-season bests with 11 wins, a 3.86 ERA, 181 strikeouts, a 1.270 WHIP and 2.6 walks per nine innings.

However, it is for this reason, why it would make sense to trade the 32-year-old now. Essentially it's a case of trying to get what you can while his value is at its highest.

Kikuchi has shown signs of what he's capable of before, specifically during the first half of the 2021 season with the Mariners. He produced a 6-3 record, 3.18 ERA and 1.029 WHIP through 15 games, as he was named an All-Star for the first time.

More generally speaking, we're talking about a talented southpaw who can rack up the strikeouts when he's on his game. However, he's also proven to be extremely erratic, including poor production in the second half of 2021 and during his first year in Toronto.

The indications point towards the 2023 season representing the peak of Kikuchi's career in the Majors. Combine this with his age, unreliability and having just one year left on his contract, and now is the right time to move on from him.

Nate Pearson

When it comes to perception being reality, Nate Pearson serves as a prime example. Is he a quality pitcher who hasn't been utilised and coached correctly by the Blue Jays, or yet another example of a talent incapable of reaching their true potential?

Whichever is true, now might be the best time to part company with Pearson. Aside from any potential trade partner still having three years of club control, it just doesn't seem like it's destined to happen for him in Toronto.

It had all started off so promisingly for the 2017 first round draft pick, with a spectacular Major League debut versus the Nationals. However, it all quickly began to fall apart for the projected staff ace, not helped by terrible luck with injuries.

Eventually, the Blue Jays made the decision to put Pearson in the bullpen. And after more injury issues which cost him all of 2022, he finally got his first sustained chance this past season as a reliever.

To begin with, it seemed like the 27-year-old was finally in the right situation to succeed, displaying what he was capable of. In his first 17 appearances, he recorded a 1.96 ERA, 26 strikeouts and a 0.91 WHIP in 23.0 combined innings.

However, it turned out to be too good to be true for Pearson. A 16-game spell saw him produce a shocking 9.53 ERA and 1.650 WHIP in 17.0 combined innings, which resulted in him being sent down to the Minors.

For what it's worth, the Odessa, Florida native did appear in two games during September, allowing no earned runs in 2.2 innings. Ultimately though, it just seems it would be best for him to start over in a new city, if he is ever going to find any sort of productive consistency.

Alek Manoah

Finally, we come to the most polarising player currently with the Blue Jays. Alek Manoah suffered one of the most spectacular falls from grace this past season and now his future is extremely uncertain.

The previous year had been a spectacular campaign for Manoah, as he established himself as the staff ace. Following on from an excellent 2021, he was even better in 2022.

The 2019 11th overall draft pick was spectacular, as he went 16-7 in 31 starts, producing a 2.24 ERA, 3.35 FIP and 0.992 WHIP. He was named an All-Star, finished third in AL Cy Young voting and even received some consideration for MVP.

The world appeared to be Manoah's oyster, but this year it all went downhill rapidly. With speculation that he had let success go to his head, he showed up for spring training overweight, and the seeds were sown for what was to follow.

Named the opening day starter, the 25-year-old allowed nine hits, two walks and five earned runs in just 3.1 innings versus the Cardinals. He did respond by giving up just one hit in 7.0 shutout innings against the Royals, but the bad performances subsequently outnumbered the positive ones.

The Blue Jays finally had enough after Manoah's outing versus the Astros in early June. He allowed a shocking seven hits and six earned runs as he was only able to record one out, and the decision was made to option him to the Florida Complex League.

Rumours would subsequently surface, that the Homestead, Florida native felt he was too good for such a move. Regardless, when the Blue Jays recalled him a month later, many believed it to be too soon; if the organisation was looking to fix him, why bring him back so quickly?

In hindsight, this line of questioning was justified when Manoah continued to struggle, and the Blue Jays decided to send him to Buffalo during August. However, he didn't take too kindly to this, and while the official eventual line was that a potential injury was being looked into, speculation was that he just felt being demoted to the Minors was beneath him.

As of today, the disconnect and lack of trust between the pitcher and the organisation is at a critical juncture. Additionally, regardless of how talented the righty is, doubt surrounds whether he can ever rediscover his previous form.

In truth, the Blue Jays are almost in a no-win situation. They could be stuck with a player who never gets his mojo back, or if they somehow do persuade a team to trade for him, they face the risk of him returning to his 2022 form and making them look bad for giving up on him so soon.