The Toronto Blue Jays are eight games above .500 and two games behind New York in a competitive AL East, which is about as good as things could be going after such a maddening offseason. While Toronto did eventually get Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to ink his extension, the front office's pursuits of Juan Soto and Rōki Sasaki fell apart. Toronto has long sought to upgrade its roster with aggressive spending, but Ross Atkins has a bad habit of striking out.
That brings us to the 2025 MLB trade deadline, which is right around the corner on July 31. The Blue Jays have one month to meaningfully improve the lineup and bolster the rotation. Toronto has the talent necessary to contend in the American League, but with Bo Bichette on an expiring contract and very little set in stone long term aside from Guerrero, now is the time to swing for the fences. Toronto needs to actually go all-in.
Atkins, for what it's worth, seems committed to going for it, citing the "muscle" of ownership investment that Toronto can flex.
Ross Atkins says the #BlueJays have been looking to add a right-handed bat. Pitching depth sounds like another priority ahead of the deadline.
— Keegan Matheson (@KeeganMatheson) June 30, 2025
He adds that the Jays have had ownership support financially all along and that they should be able to “continue to flex that muscle.”
As the Blue Jays scour the league for upgrades, here are a few dream targets — emphasis on dream.
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3. Aroldis Chapman, Boston Red Sox
Toronto's bullpen is a decidedly mixed bag right now. Jeff Hoffman began the season on a heater, but has since regressed to well below his career standards. His cumulative impact will probably land somewhere in the middle of the two extremes, but Hoffman's 4.84 ERA does not exactly peg him as a lights-out closer.
The Blue Jays could use another late-relief heavyweight to ease the pressure on Hoffman. Look no further than their division rivals in Boston. If the Red Sox keep slipping out of contention, there's no reason not to trade a 37-year-old Aroldis Chapman midway through a one-year contract. Chapman has been unbelievable for Boston this season — 1.32 ERA and 0.75 WHIP with 50 strikeouts in 34.0 innings — but his postseason volatility and age mean the Red Sox ought to consent to a trade, even if it's a division foe like Toronto.
Chapman and Hoffman give Toronto power-throwing relievers — one southpaw, one righty — to anchor the back of the bullpen and preserve leads in late-inning situations. It's only a short-term rental, with Chapman's MLB future unsettled given his age, but the impact on this season alone would be pronounced.
2. Marcell Ozuna, Atlanta Braves
Toronto's lineup is reasonably well full of competent hitters, but there's an opening for a DH of Marcell Ozuna's caliber. The Atlanta Braves may or may not sell at the trade deadline — to be frank, Alex Anthopoulos probably balks at real change — but with Ozuna on an expiring contract and Atlanta's postseason hopes fading, there's a strong case to trade him. Especially since Atlanta is not a team that spends exorbitant money on aging, one-way stars in free agency.
Ozuna's numbers are down compared to last season's triumphant heights, but he's still a singularly intimidating presence in the batter's box. Hitting .247 with a .770 OPS and 11 home runs on the season, Ozuna would slot comfortably into the cleanup spot behind Bichette and Guerrero. If Anthony Santander can get healthy and relocate his swing, Toronto suddenly has an abundance of pop in the middle of the lineup. '
Ozuna is possibly a rental — and he's a 34-year-old who doesn't field, so the value is limited. But as Toronto looks to find ways over the hump in a competitive division, they can certainly do worse than adding a power threat with Ozuna's track record of production, both in the regular season and in October.
1. Seth Lugo, Kansas City Royals
Of all the potentially available pitchers at the deadline, few are more durable and dependable than Seth Lugo. The Kansas City Royals' righty is in the final year of his contract, worth $15 million. The Royals were expected to contend this season, but an anemic offense has made it unclear if Lugo (and others) will survive the deadline. It's a great opportunity for Toronto to poach a key postseason arm from an AL rival.
Lugo's metrics don't really look good, but the man delivers results, year in and year out, almost without fail. The converted reliever currently boasts a 2.74 ERA through 15 starts with a 1.08 WHIP. Those are the lowest numbers of his career as a starter, and his best overall since 2018, when he was still pitching the late innings for the Mets.
He doesn't throw with overwhelming velocity or generate many swings-and-misses, but Lugo has an incredible array of breaking pitches and a knack for painting the zone and keeping hitters out of rhythm. He was impressive for Kansas City in the 2024 playoffs and he'd bring a wealth of situational experience to a team with October aspirations like the Blue Jays.