The Blue Jays’ Biggest Deadline Need Could Cause a Logjam
You can never have too much pitching as far as the Blue Jays are concerned as they head toward the trade deadline as buyers.
What a difference a year can make. The vibes around the Toronto Blue Jays this season are different from last year as we barrel toward the MLB trade deadline. Very, very different.
At this time last year, the Blue Jays front office was busy preparing to sell off pieces after a frustratingly disappointing first half. In 2025? General Manager Ross Atkins is preparing to buy at the deadline with his Blue Jays flying high in first place in the American League East.
Outside of superstar first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and some veterans like George Springer, Kevin Gausman, Chris Bassitt and Max Scherzer, most folks outside of Toronto might wonder how this Blue Jays team is doing what it’s doing. With breakouts from unsung heroes like Ernie Clement and the former top prospect Addison Barger slugging his way into Toronto fans’ hearts, they’re getting it done.
What’s on Blue Jays’ Trade Deadline Shopping List?
The cat’s out of the bag. The Blue Jays won’t be able to sneak up on anyone now that they’ve announced themselves to the league. They’re right there with the other MLB powerhouses with a 54-39 record.
So what’s on Atkins’ shopping list now that he’ll be a buyer as the July 31 trade deadline rolls around?
As Atkins told the media last week — before his team swept the Yankees in four games at Rogers Centre — he’ll be looking for pitching help, per MLB.com’s Keegan Matheson. (A right-handed bat is also on the wish list, but that could come internally.)
“Probably on the run-prevention side more from a depth standpoint,” Atkins said about his trade deadline focus, per Matheson. “If we can score more, we’ll look to do that. And adding a right-handed hitter to our team is something we’ve been trying to do internally, and we have considered external alternatives as well. The run-prevention side is probably going to come from pitching with how good our defense has been.”
The catch here is that the Blue Jays have a full starting rotation at the moment. So adding more pitching would create a problem, albeit a good problem. We’ve all heard the famous baseball adage, “You can never have too much pitching.” The Blue Jays look like they want to lean into that tidbit of wisdom.
Currently, Toronto’s rotation consists of the previously mentioned Gausman, Bassitt and Scherzer, with the ultra-dependable Jose Berríos and surprising upstart Eric Lauer rounding out the starting five.
Why Do the Blue Jays Need More Starting Pitching?
Gausman, Bassitt and Berríos are all proven veterans that will take the ball every fifth day. They may not be at the height of their powers, but their ability to be available is just as valuable. The issue lies in the uncertainty around Scherzer’s health and Lauer’s track record.
The Blue Jays signed Scherzer to a one-year, $15.5 million deal in the winter. Unfortunately, the future Hall of Famer missed the first half of the season after a thumb issue derailed his Blue Jays debut after only three innings. The thumb saga is ongoing, with Scherzer back on the mound but limited in how far into games he can push himself.
The good news is that it sounds like the right-hander and the team can manage the problem. The bad news is that there’s no guarantee that the 40-year-old will last the season.
Then we come to Lauer. Something has clicked this season for the former first-round pick. The 30-year-old left-hander has a 4-2 record with a 2.78 ERA and 1.04 WHIP over 14 games. He has solidified himself as a rotation piece, with eight starts under his belt. While Lauer has been a revelation for the Blue Jays, it does feel like we’re waiting for the other shoe to drop.
He entered 2025 with a career 4.30 ERA since his debut in 2018. There’s always a chance that he figured something out in the KBO last season, but you never know when the regression monster will rear its ugly head. With a 3.14 xERA, 3.38 FIP, and 3.93 xFIP, it might just be a matter of time before things start to unravel for one of the Blue Jays’ feel-good stories.
Which Starters Are Blue Jays’ Likely to Target at Trade Deadline?
Jeff Passan and Kiley McDaniel of ESPN recently included the Blue Jays as a fit for almost every starting pitcher in their ranking of the top 50 trade deadline candidates.
The names that they felt the Blue Jays were the best fits for included Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly of the Arizona Diamondbacks, along with the Athletics’ Luis Severino. The Pittsburgh Pirates’ Mitch Keller could be an intriguing target. Atkins might also be in on the bidding for former Cy Young winner Sandy Alcantara of the Miami Marlins.
They could also be getting an internal addition later in the season. One-time Cy Young finalist Alek Manoah is working his way back from Tommy John surgery. The burly right-hander is getting close to beginning a spring training-style ramp-up. If there are no setbacks, you can throw his name into the bottleneck Toronto might experience trying to fit everyone into the starting rotation.
Whichever arm, or arms, Atkins and the Blue Jays pursue leading up to July 31, it’s sure to create a logjam. But life, and baseball, finds a way.
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