Blue Jays' GM Talks Deadline Method

Even after final evening’s 9-2 drubbing of the Yankees, the Blue Jays sit six video games under .500. They’re on the backside of the AL East with a 37-43 report and have three groups between them and the Royals — the present holder of the American League’s ultimate playoff spot.

It’s actually not the place the Jays anticipated to seek out themselves on the season’s midway level. Toronto had gained between 89 and 92 video games in every of the previous three seasons and has gotten to the postseason in three of the final 4 years. They need to be squarely of their aggressive window.

That units the Jays up as one of many extra attention-grabbing pivot groups over the subsequent month. They’re not desirous to promote, however they’re working low on time to play their manner again into the playoff combine. Toronto is 6.5 again within the Wild Card race. Any hope they’d of profitable the division coming into this yr has lengthy since disappeared.

GM Ross Atkins acknowledged the staff’s precarious place when he spoke with the Toronto beat earlier than Thursday’s win. “We’ve clearly put ourselves into a troublesome spot over the past seven days,” Atkins stated (link via Keegan Matheson of MLB.com). “Ten days in the past, we had been feeling like there was optimistic momentum, and that has gone away.”

Jeff Passan of ESPN wrote earlier this week that the Jays weren’t but keen to make key gamers out there in commerce. Atkins urged equally in his feedback on Thursday, saying the entrance workplace’s “focus is on the 2024 staff.” Whereas the GM acknowledged that any resolution additionally entails consideration of the long run, he pointed to the group’s funding in each payroll and prospect capital on this roster. “We’ll proceed to do this till it doesn’t make sense to take action any extra,” he added.

That naturally raises the query of when the entrance workplace might determine they haven’t any alternative however to show their focus towards the long run. That’ll largely rely on how issues play out within the subsequent 4 to 5 weeks — each in Toronto and round the remainder of the American League. “The approaching days are exceptionally necessary to us, and understanding the market can also be exceptionally necessary to us in both manner,” Atkins stated (by way of Matheson). “We’re targeted on profitable. We’re targeted on constructing the very best staff we are able to this yr and supporting them the very best we are able to. If we get to a degree the place we have to regulate, we’ll be ready to take action.”

Toronto isn’t distinctive in that regard. There are solely 5 – 6 (relying on one feels concerning the Tigers) groups who appear like clear-cut sellers at this level. But there aren’t many extra who can really feel safe about their probabilities of attending to the postseason. Upwards of half the groups within the league might determine their deadline path primarily based on how they carry out in July. Varied golf equipment might additionally attempt to straddle the road by offloading some veterans whereas in search of instant assist in different areas of the roster.

The Jays have a extra established roster than most of these fringe groups. Toronto has probably impactful commerce candidates with various ranges of membership management. Neither Danny Jansen nor Yusei Kikuchi has performed properly in current weeks, but they’d each began the season fairly properly. Jansen is the highest impending free agent catcher, whereas Kikuchi can be one of many extra proficient rental beginning pitchers in the marketplace if the Jays made him out there.

Yimi García is pitching properly and can be a simple goal for groups looking for veteran bullpen assist if he’s wholesome by the deadline.  (He went on the injured checklist with elbow neuritis two weeks in the past.) Justin Turner and Kevin Kiermaier are having disappointing seasons. Whereas the Jays would most likely should kick in money to facilitate trades of both participant, they may get calls primarily based on their pre-2024 monitor data.

Issues would turn out to be extra attention-grabbing if the Jays severely thought of shifting key gamers who’re underneath management past this season. That will signify an even bigger reset than merely buying and selling leases. There’s an argument for doing so if the Jays can’t claw again into rivalry over the subsequent few weeks. Toronto has a handful of gamers who’re in or on the again finish of their primes. They’ve bought dwindling management home windows on franchise faces Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette, every of whom are slated free of charge company after the 2025 marketing campaign. Bichette will make $16.5MM subsequent season, whereas Guerrero goes to be due a noteworthy elevate on this yr’s $19.9MM wage.

Atkins bluntly shot down the notion of buying and selling both star hitter earlier this month. That presumably gained’t cease groups from calling to gauge whether or not the Jays are keen to rethink. Bichette himself informed Hazel Mae (X link) that he wouldn’t be stunned if the Jays moved him, although that’d presumably change if the staff performs its manner again into rivalry.

Guerrero is amidst arguably the second-best offensive season of his profession. He’s hitting .289/.370/.447 throughout 351 plate appearances. Whereas he hasn’t hit for a similar degree of energy he did in 2021-22, Guerrero has the second-highest common and on-base mark of his profession. Bichette hasn’t carried out to his regular normal, working a personal-worst .232/.282/.333 slash line over 287 journeys. Whereas that’d arguably make this summer season an inopportune time to maneuver him, Bichette would absolutely nonetheless draw ample consideration if the Jays put him in the marketplace. There aren’t many on a regular basis shortstops who appear more likely to be out there.

Past that duo, the Jays have a handful of controllable gamers who might generate calls, significantly on the pitching facet. Jordan Romano has spent the previous month on the injured checklist with elbow irritation. He’s a two-time All-Star nearer who’s underneath arbitration management by means of subsequent season, although. Romano not too long ago resumed throwing from 120 ft on flat floor (by way of the MLB.com injury tracker). Chris Bassitt is making $22MM this season and subsequent. He turned in a 3.60 ERA over 33 begins a yr in the past and has labored to a 3.45 mark with respectable strikeout and stroll numbers over 91 1/3 innings. Buying and selling Kevin Gausman, who’s underneath contract by means of 2026, nonetheless appears unlikely until the entrance workplace kicks off a extra vital reboot.

If the Jays carry out the best way they’re hoping over the subsequent month, including to the bullpen and deepening the lineup can be the doubtless priorities. The Romano and García accidents — paired with Erik Swanson’s struggles — have contributed to the Jays working out one of many least constant reduction teams within the majors. The underside half of the lineup hasn’t carried out as much as expectations both. That’s largely as a result of underperformance from the likes of Bichette, Turner, Kiermaier and George Springer. The Jays additionally entered the season with questions at second and third base. They’ve plugged rookie Spencer Horwitz into common motion on the keystone whereas free agent signee Isiah Kiner-Falefa (who has considerably quietly impressed with a .283/.333/.402 exhibiting) has gotten the majority of the third base reps.