MLB Trade Deadline Rumors: 5 trades Blue Jays should make
The Toronto Blue Jays overcame a terrible start get back into Wild Card contention, the club should still sell at the MLB trade deadline.
It would be difficult to think of a worse beginning to a season.
On the road in Baltimore, the Toronto Blue Jays lost their Opening Day game against the Orioles 3-2 in 11 innings after a walk-off home run from Mark Trumbo. One loss isn’t a death sentence, but things got much worse before they got better. The Blue Jays sank to 1-9 after a seven-game losing streak (which also included a 3-2, 11th inning loss in Tampa). Toronto finished the opening month with an 8-17 record, eight games out of first place in the American League East.
Expected to compete for a third straight postseason trip, the Blue Jays were practically written off as a playoff contender by May 1. The team bounced back admirably in the following months, and even pulled to within one game of .500 in mid-June, but Toronto simply dug a hole too large to pull itself out of.
Entering Thursday with a 43-51 record, 10 games out of first place in the division and 5.5 games out in the Wild Card standings, it’s decision time. The MLB trade deadline is less than two weeks away, and the Blue Jays have three options.
First of all, the team could take an aggressive approach and acquire a second baseman, left fielder and pitching depth in both the starting rotation and bullpen in an effort to get back to the postseason. Second, the team could dismantle its aging roster, and even part with valuable assets like Marcus Stroman to acquire prospects for the future and give playing time to younger players.
Or, perhaps the best option available, Toronto could accept defeat in 2017 but prepare to contend again in 2018 by trading away impending free agents and veterans not in the club’s long-term plans, as well as selling high on a breakout All-Star.
5. Trade Marco Estrada to the Brewers
Currently on a four-game losing streak, and with the Cubs and Pirates off to red-hot starts in the second half, the Milwaukee Brewers are clinging to a small lead in the NL Central. Entering Thursday 52-45, the Brewers have already exceeded expectations this season, but still have an opportunity to capitalize on a surprising performance thus far.
Rumored to be interested in adding a starting pitcher, and with specific rumors surrounding their pursuit of A’s right-hander Sonny Gray, Milwaukee is likely to be active ahead of the trade deadline. Should the club miss out on Gray, a nice option would be Blue Jays veteran Marco Estrada.
Estrada has posted a 5.33 ERA this season, which is his highest since becoming a full-time starter with the Brewers in 2011. From 2011-16, Estrada posted a 3.71 ERA and never had an ERA higher than 4.36 in a single season. His two best years came after he joined the Blue Jays, with whom he posted a 3.30 combined ERA in 2015-16.
However, Estrada actually posted a 4.28 FIP in his first two seasons in Toronto, meaning he pitched worse than his ERA would indicate. In 19 starts this season, Estrada ha a 4.31 FIP. Simply put, he’s been largely the same pitcher, with a slightly higher strikeout rate (9.9 strikeouts per nine innings this year compared to 8.2 K/9 over his career), and has allowed far more hits (9.5 H/9 this season compared to 6.7 and 6.8 in 2015 and ’16, respectively).