The Toronto Blue Jays are looking to improve their roster at the MLB trade deadline, with a focus on acquiring controllable starting pitchers and relievers.Starting Pitching Targets:
Top tier: Joe Ryan, Edward Cabrera, and Sandy Alcántara are highly sought-after pitchers, all under team control for at least two seasons beyond 2025 and possessing top-of-the-rotation potential.
Lower Tier: Jeffrey Springs is an interesting option. He could serve as a bullpen piece in 2025 before perhaps rejoining the starting rotation in 2026. He is owed $10.5 million next year with a $15 million club option for 2027.
Veteran Option: Luis Severino of the Athletics is another potential target. Despite a higher ERA and a lack of strikeouts this season, his road splits are better. He is owed $25 million next season and has a $22 million player option for 2027. However, the Athletics are reportedly reluctant to retain meaningful portions of his contract, wich could make a deal challenging.
Relief Pitching Targets:
Controllable Options: Emmanuel Clase (Cleveland, through 2028), Jhoan Duran, and Griffin Jax (Minnesota, through 2027) are strong relief options with long-term team control.
Rockies’ Bullpen: The Colorado Rockies are also expected to be active in trading bullpen help. Players like Jimmy Herget, Seth Halvorsen, and jake Bird could be available.Toronto’s Farm System:
The Blue Jays’ farm system was ranked 24th entering the 2025 season. despite this, the system has shown improvement, providing Toronto with prospects to trade. Key prospects include:
High-A Vancouver Canadians: Shortstop Arjun Nimmala is the most prominent name, but pitcher Gage Stanifer, infielder Cutter coffey, and catcher Edward Duran could also attract attention.
* Pitching Prospect Trey Yesavage: Yesavage, a top pitching prospect, is currently at 71 innings pitched.A planned midseason break will allow him to manage his workload and potentially pitch through September, possibly with the major league club.
