Toronto Blue Jays trade rumors: Chris Denorfia a trade target for Toronto

The Toronto Blue Jays are reportedly one of the more aggressive teams in the trade market as the July 31st deadline approaches.

More from MLB Trade Rumors

• Shohei Ohtani trade rumors live tracker: Every update so far
• NY Mets leave Justin Verlander in the dark at trade deadline
• This White Sox-Dodgers trade for bullpen help could lead to LA reunion
• Braves Rumors: Cubs trade, Vaughn Grissom targeted, Duvall’s conflict of interest
• MLB Trade Grades: Dodgers reunite with familiar face in Red Sox deal

Among other things, that means that the Blue Jays are in on trades for a number of players at different positions and at different levels of impact. If they could, they would love to make a blockbuster deal for second baseman Chase Utley or even David Price.

That also means that they are in on more understated trades. While these types of deals might fly under the radar more, deals for bench players, role players, and platoon partners, they are still significant and will have an impact on the playoff race.

One such example of that type of deal would be a trade for San Diego Padres’ outfielder Chris Denorfia. Jon Morosi reports that the Blue Jays are interested in Denorfia:

To take a further look at Toronto’s interest in Denorfia, consider a player like Colby Rasmus. When he isn’t bunting against the shift and breaking Colby Lewis‘s brain, Rasmus is a player with a specific skill: he hits for power against right-handed pitching. He is a sub-.200 hitter, however, against left-handed pitching.

How much would the Blue Jays benefit from adding Denorfia and his ability to hit left-handed pitching to that mix, from finding a way to put two guys with specific skills in positions to succeed? It would at least be enough to bump their overall roster up a little bit in an AL East race that could come down to the details.