Chad Green has the ability to single-handedly alter Blue Jays trade deadline plans

As the MLB trade deadline approaches in a little over two weeks time, many have pegged the Toronto Blue Jays looking for potential bullpen help to bolster their current core. However, a potential Chad Green rising from the ashes may have a strong say about that.

If one could recall, Green was signed by the Blue Jays this past offseason to a two-year, $8.5 million deal with options, with the Jays clearly knowing from day one that Green won’t be available to them until after the All-Star Break at the earliest this year as he recovers from Tommy John surgery.

Nevertheless, the Jays believed that the deal was worth it because despite not having any awards or All-Star credentials in his resumé, Green is one of the most consistent and reliable relievers in the game for the past six years. Of course, he has done all his great work with the Jays’ arch-rivals, the New York Yankees. What better way to exact revenge on the Yankees than to take one of their own and use it as our secret weapon against them?

For his career, Green has a strong 33-22 record, to go along with a 3.17 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 137 ERA+, with 494 strikeouts in just 383.2 innings pitched. In addition, he has accumulated 53 holds and 11 saves pitching in key situations during his seven-year stint with the Bronx Bombers. In addition, prior to 2022, Green averaged close to the 85th percentile in fastball velocity and whiff %, and the 90th percentile in K% according to Baseball Savant, making him the strong strikeout flamethrower the Jays desperately need to bolster their relief corps.

I’m pretty sure we all remember the times when Green stymied the Jays’ bats to snuff rallies. It’s about time he helped the Jays do the same thing to their opponents. Basically, he is the exact, ideal bullpen arm that the Jays would have been targeting at the trade deadline.

Green is currently throwing live batting practice sessions and may soon head out to a minor-league rehab assignment if things go well. He is on track to return close to the end of July, which would be kind of equivalent to a trade deadline acquisition for the Jays.

If Green can somehow be reinstated from the IL prior to the trade deadline, the Jays could have a few game samples of Green to gauge whether or not they need to still go out to acquire a bullpen arm to help the ballclub. If he performs to their expectations and has regained his form prior to his surgery, he could single-handedly alter the Jays’ deadline plans and make the team focus on using their assets to address another area of need (starting pitching or a power bat) instead via trade. However, if he fails to meet expectations or perhaps need some time to get up to speed, then the Jays will definitely need to stay course with their plans to upgrade the bullpen.

Here, we wish Green a fast and speedy rehabilitation process and that he will join the ballclub in their quest for the playoffs sooner rather than later.