Re-grading past Blue Jays trade deadline deals with 20/20 hindsight

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With the trade deadline in about a month’s time, the Blue Jays will have to decide whether they will be buying, or staying put this year after a 41-35 start to the season. In recent years, the team has traded several prospects for MLB level players in order to make deep runs in the playoffs, though salvaging a piece of the franchise’s future. Let's re-grade some of the recent trades, knowing what we know now.

Blue Jays acquire 2B/OF Whit Merrifield from the Royals in exchange for INF Samad Taylor and SP Maximo Castillo

The Blue Jays acquired Whit Merrifield at the trade deadline of the 2022 season, sending Samad Taylor and Max Castillo to Kansas City. Taylor was just recently called up to the major league, though he’s shown a strong ability to get on base and provide a solid speed threat in the minors. Castillo has pitched a total of 53.1 innings at the major league level and holds a 5.74 ERA. He’s also struggled at the minor league level since being traded to the Royals.

Merrifield was experiencing the worst season of his career in 2022, though he seemed much more like himself once he became a member of the Blue Jays, batting .281 with an OPS+ of 120 in 44 games. This season however, the former South Carolina Gamecock seems much more comfortable and has been contributing at an All-Star level with a batting average of .300 with 18 stolen bases and a 112 OPS+.

The addition of Merrifield has been a valuable one, both for his offensive abilities and his defensive abilities all around the diamond. His veteran leadership also might go under appreciated from fans, but not his teammates. Overall, Merrifield makes this Blue Jays team better right now, and you can’t say the same for the players traded for him.

Grade: B+

Blue Jays acquire SP Mitch White and SS Alex De Jesus from the Dodgers in exchange for SP Nick Frasso and P Moises Brito

The Blue Jays acquired Mitch White and Alex De Jesus at the 2022 trade deadline from the Dodgers in exchange for Nick Frasso and Moises Brito. Frasso is now listed as the Dodgers’ 10th ranked prospect and owns a 1.61 ERA across 95 innings pitched in all levels of the minor leagues. The big right-hander is still at least a year away from debuting in the major league, though his stuff and statistical output show that his value should continue to grow. Brito has only thrown 52 innings in the minors, but is just 20-years-old and looks promising, owning a strong 1.56 ERA.

White has struggled as soon as he arrived in Toronto as he finished the 2022 season with a 7.74 ERA and 49 ERA+ across 43 innings pitched. Injuries delayed his start to the 2023 season, though he struggled in AAA on a rehab assignment with an 8.61 ERA over 23 innings pitched. De Jesus is currently playing with the Vancouver Canadians in A+ ball, and has been just serviceable. He is only 21-years-old, but has not shown the ability to rise through the system.

Overall, this trade could come back to bite the Jays, depending on how well both Frasso and Brito develop. As of right now, neither White or De Jesus are helping the team win games and both the players traded away look much more promising than what was received.

Grade: D

Blue Jays acquire SP José Berríos from the Twins in exchange for SS Austin Martin and SP Simeon Woods-Richardson

The Blue Jays made one of the bigger splashes at the 2021 trade deadline acquiring José Berríos from the Twins in exchange for two of the teams’ top prospects at the time, in Austin Martin and Simeon Woods-Richardson. Martin was drafted fifth overall in the 2020 draft, and was ranked as the 16th best prospect in baseball at the time of the trade, but has since battled injuries and has not yet grown into the prospect he was touted as. Woods-Richardson has pitched just 9.2 major league innings in his young career so far and has struggled in AAA this year after a strong 2021 campaign at both AA and AAA. The two prospects are currently ranked as the 11th and eighth best prospects respectively in the Twins system.

Berríos threw 70.1 innings with the Jays during the second half of the 2021 season and owned a 3.58 ERA and 125 ERA+. He suffered the worst season of his career in 2022 with a 5.23 ERA and 72 ERA+. leading the league in both hits and earned runs allowed. This year however, the two-time all-star has regained his command and confidence, owning a 3.64 ERA and 112 ERA+. Aside from last year's debacle of a season for Berríos' ERA has been consistently under 4.00 during his career and remains an above average pitcher with great stuff.

Last season this trade looked like it was surely to backfire, but it obviously looks a lot better now that Berríos is back to himself and contributing to the teams’ success at a high level. Neither Martin or Woods-Richardson have had any impact for the Twins, now almost two seasons removed from the trade, though they both still have time and the talent to succeed in the majors.

Grade: B

Blue Jays acquire SP Robbie Ray from the Diamondbacks in exchange for P Travis Bergen

The Blue Jays acquired Robbie Ray from the Diamondbacks during the abbreviated 2020 season’s trade deadline in late August, in exchange for Travis Bergen. Bergen has managed just 6.2 innings pitched with the Diamondbacks and 38.2 major league innings total. He was also re-acquired by the Blue Jays during the 2021 offseason in exchange for cash considerations. The 29-year-old is currently a free agent and only pitched 24.1 innings in 2022.

Ray pitched just 20.2 innings in 2020 with the Blue Jays, owning a 4.79 ERA. The following season he put it all together winning the American League Cy Young Award as he led the majors with 248 strikeouts and the American League in ERA (2.84), ERA+ (157) and innings pitched (193.1). The left-hander’s only full season in Toronto was incredible, greatly outperforming his career averages.

Ray has since signed a 5-year deal worth $115 million with the Mariners, but his contributions to the Blue Jays during the 2021 season were incredible and can not be overlooked. Bergen did not contribute to the Diamondbacks and re-joined the Blue Jays shortly after the trade. Ray’s time in Toronto was brief, but this could be one of the most one-sided trades in franchise history.

Grade: A

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