4 Blue Jays players who could be traded before Opening Day
The Toronto Blue Jays have had an underwhelming offseason. At one point they seemed destined to land Shohei Ohtani, but Robert Herjavec appearing from the private plane was the biggest buzzkill of all. Toronto missed out on Ohtani, and doesn't look much better than the team that scored just one run in an embarrassing Wild Card Round sweep at the hands of the Twins.
The Jays re-signed Kevin Kiermaier who had a good year for Toronto in 2023, but with Cody Bellinger on the board, that was a bit of a questionable decision. They signed Justin Turner who had a strong year with the Red Sox last season, but he's yet another right-handed hitter and happens to also be 39 years old. The Yariel Rodriguez signing was a good one, but is he a needle mover in a really tough AL East?
For the Jays to make some noise in the American League, they might have to resort to the trade market. They could use more offense. Trading any of these four players might help them get closer to teams like the Orioles and Yankees.
4) Alek Manoah remains a fascinating Blue Jays trade candidate
Alek Manoah appearing on a list like this a year ago would've been unthinkable, but after a disastrous 2023 campaign, it's certainly not an impossibility.
Manoah went from being Toronto's Opening Day starter to a player who was optioned to the minors multiple times. The right-hander made 19 starts for the Jays and posted a 5.87 ERA in 87.1 innings pitched. What was really concerning for Manoah was his lack of command. After issuing 51 free passes in 196.2 innings pitched in 2022, he walked 59 batters in over 100 fewer innings pitched this past season.
The Blue Jays hope Manoah can turn things around, but after signing Yariel Rodriguez to a five-year deal, they don't have to wait if they believe he won't. While they'd be selling low, they can absolutely get real value for him now.
It's less than likely that we see a Manoah move before Opening Day, but if he struggles in Spring Training it's something to keep an eye on. The Blue Jays have one of the best rotations in the AL whether Manoah is in the picture or not.