5 rival trade rumors that could be disastrous for the Blue Jays

As the Toronto Blue Jays approach the upcoming trade deadline, they will be looking for some upgrades in preparation for the playoff run in the coming couple of months. However, at the same time, their division rivals will be looking to do the same to boost their own chances of making the playoffs as well. For the Jays’ sake, they definitely hope their own upgrades will be far superior to their rivals, but based on some of the current rumors floating around, if any of them come to fruition, it could potentially be disastrous for the Jays’ playoff aspirations.

Here, we take a look at five rival trade rumors in which if any of them indeed ends up happening, the Jays’ task to reach the postseason just got that much tougher.

1. The Rays, Yankees and Orioles could be all in play for two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani of the Angels

ESPN’s Buster Olney had named both the Rays and Yankees as two out of a possible four teams that could be in on the Shohei Ohtani sweepstakes, with the Bleacher Report believing that the Rays have the necessary prospect capital to go all-in for the deal. In addition, MLB Insider Jon Morosi has reported recently that the Orioles have inquired the Angels about Ohtani’s trade availability.

This could spell big time trouble for the Jays, as if it wasn’t enough to have Ohtani within the same league, but having him in the same division would bring horror to the boys in blue for many years to come. That is because if any of the Rays, Yankees and Orioles were to splurge using their top prospects to nab Ohtani, there is absolutely 100% no doubt they wouldn’t do the deal unless they are pretty sure an extension is in place for the 2021 AL MVP and three-time All-Star. In addition, acquiring Ohtani is like getting two superstars at the same time, given his excellence in both hitting and pitching.

For the 2023 season, Ohtani once again has been doing exactly what he has been doing for the past few years, dominating on both sides of the field. As a hitter, he is hitting .299 and leading the league in OPS (1.066) and home runs (36), along with 77 RBI and 12 stolen bases. As a pitcher, he is 8-5 with a 3.71 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, striking out 148 batters in just 111.2 innings pitched.

So seeing another 10-plus years of Ohtani in the already daunting AL East division? If the dream does become a reality, we definitely wish all the best of luck to Blue Jays. But in the latest update, it appears as though the Angels are planning to take Ohtani off the trade market to go for a playoff run. If that is indeed the case and that they don't reverse their decision, the Jays can build a sigh of relief, for now.

2. The Rays appear to have strong interest in starting pitcher Marcus Stroman of the Cubs

Sports Illustrated has recently revealed that the Rays have been linked in talks with the Cubs with regards to acquiring former Jays’ ace Marcus Stroman in a potential blockbuster deal, according to Onto Waveland Podcast with Brett Taylor, Sahadev Sharma, and Patrick Mooney. Outside of Ohtani, Stroman represents the best starting pitcher trade target available at the deadline and will no doubt be highly coveted by many teams. As a result, any finalized trade transaction involving Stroman will probably end up being a huge blockbuster deal.

Despite playing for a struggling Cubs team for the most part of the 2023 season, Stroman had been one of the few bright spots on the ballclub, along with the revitalized Cody Bellinger and fellow starter Justin Steele. In 21 games started, he has compiled a 10-7 winning record with a 3.51 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, giving up 49 earned runs with just eight home runs, with 48 walks and 109 strikeouts in 125.2 innings of work.

Adding Stroman to the Rays, who already have ace-like material in both Zach Eflin and Shane McClanahan, would instantly transform them into a strong three-headed monster in their starting rotation. Combining with the consistent Tyler Glasnow, their rotation would be set for the playoff run and would definitely be a huge gauntlet the Jays will need to run through in order for any postseason success at all.

3. The Orioles have shown interest in dealing with the Cardinals for starter Jordan Montgomery

Okay, so at least Jordan Montgomery might not be at the same tier level as Ohtani, but knowing that the Orioles are actively planning to significantly upgrade their roster while already holding the division lead presents an even greater obstacle for the Jays to try and catch them by season’s end. Sports Illustrated has indicated that The Athletic’s Jim Bowden has linked the Orioles and Cardinals as potential trade partners for the services of Montgomery.

The Orioles may not want to make available their top prospects for the trade deadline, but because they possess a deep farm system, it could be enough for them to acquire a lower-tiered, yet solid starter in Montgomery to upgrade their starting pitching. He has had a solid season so far in 2023, despite pitching for the underachieving Cardinals for much of the year. He has compiled a 6-8 record with a 3.37 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, with 105 strikeouts in 115 innings pitched over 20 games started.

More importantly, he boasts a career 4-1 winning record against the Jays, and has had some success pitching in the AL East in the past when he was with the Yankees. So bringing him back into the division he is familiar with, added to his vengeful anger when the Yankees traded him away last year at the deadline, could be bad news for the Jays as he will definitely want to show everyone what they have been missing.

4. The Yankees have been linked to Cody Bellinger of the Cubs

Once again, Sports Illustrated indicated that MLB Insider Jim Bowden had reported that the Yankees would like to improve their outfield, so someone like Cody Bellinger from the Cubs could be an ideal fit for the ballclub. After all, Bellinger is currently in the midst of a resurgent season with the Cubs, appearing to have regained some of his prior MVP form back in 2019. With the abundance of teams ahead of them in the playoff chase, the Cubs will most likely be sellers at the trade deadline and Bellinger would be one of their strongest trade chips to use at their disposal.

For the 2023 season, Bellinger has delivered an outstanding .309 batting average, along with a .890 OPS, with 53 runs scored, 15 doubles, 14 home runs, 45 RBI, and 12 stolen bases. More importantly, he has been red-hot leading up to the trade deadline, as for the month of July, he is scorching the league with a .429 average, 1.200 OPS, with 18 runs scored, seven home runs and 23 RBI in just 20 games played. He has definitely raised his stock considerably in his bounce back year and will definitely draw a lot of interest from different teams in their pursuit of a power bat.

The Blue Jays themselves would like to add a power bat of their own, and someone like Bellinger would be exactly what they are looking for. As a result, it would hurt even more if Bellinger ends up going to a division rival and ends up helping the Yankees knock off the Jays for a playoff spot at year’s end. So the Jays better pray it does not come to fruition, or better yet, make sure they jump in to get him first.