5 trade deadline deals that could push Blue Jays back into contention for 2024

Jays need to inject a power bat into the lineup with Brent Rooker

With offense being still one of the Jays’ weaknesses this season despite coming to life in spurts in recent weeks, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to add another power bat to the lineup to boost their offensive potential. That boost can come in the form of Brent Rooker of the Oakland Athletics. Rooker may not be a household name to many, but he has certainly made a name for himself during his rapid growth and performance during his last two seasons in the big leagues.

As a former first-round pick of the Minnesota Twins back in the 2017 MLB Draft, Rooker didn’t make his mark until finally joining the Athletics as a waiver claim during the 2022-23 offseason. In 2023, he smacked 30 home runs and drove in 69 runs over 137 games played, en route to his first ever All-Star appearance. This season, Rooker has improved drastically in his hitting, raising his batting average above the .280 mark while still maintaining his productive ways with 18 home runs and 55 RBI in just 78 games of action.

With Justin Turner having a huge regression in his play this year with the Jays, Rooker would be the ideal replacement for Turner in the lineup as the team’s designated hitter. It shouldn’t be a problem for Rooker since he was already accustomed to the DH role in his time with the Athletics. In addition, he can serve as the backup outfielder for the team if needed, given he has seen at least 72 games of action in the field the past two seasons. And at the young age of 29, the Jays would be getting Rooker just at the right time as he enters his prime.