8 starting pitchers the Blue Jays should target at the trade deadline

Eduardo Rodriguez

Sensational comes to mind, when looking for an adjective to describe Eduardo Rodriguez's 2023 campaign. He's on course to easily have a career year almost across the board.

For example, Rodriguez's previous best single-season ERA was 3.81 in 2019 - this year it's 2.64. Also, his 1.005 WHIP in 2023 will more than likely beat his previous low of 1.265 in 2018.

Perhaps the only real concern is how the 30-year-old will perform upon his return from injury. He missed all of June, due to a left index finger rupture.

In some respects, a Tigers team out of contention would be wise to cash in on Rodriguez while his value is high. Despite only signing a five-year, $77 million deal prior to last season, he has a player opt out clause after the conclusion of the current campaign.

From the Venezuela native's position, a move to somewhere such as Toronto would surely be a win-win scenario for him. He'd get to play for a contender, while still having his opt out clause in place. (He does also have a 10-team no-trade clause, but whether this includes the Blue Jays is unclear at this stage.)

The biggest challenge facing the Blue Jays is having enough to offer, but again keep in mind the Tigers are compromised to some extent by Rodriguez's contract stipulation. Overall, Toronto needs to at least make that call for a quality pitcher who also happens to be a southpaw.