Blue Jays interested in dream trade candidate, but it comes with a major catch

The Toronto Blue Jays are in a rough spot. They're a team that had lofty expectations entering the year, but they've been one of, if not the most disappointing team in the league so far. Toronto enters play on Wednesday with a 25-29 record, good for last place in the AL East, and their biggest issue is the same one they had last season.

This Blue Jays team is built on its pitching and its defense. The pitching has underperformed which is part of why they're four games under .500, but their offense is the team's Achilles heel. The Jays are 22nd in the majors in home runs and 22nd in runs scored, and that's with the team hitting a bit more of late. Ross Atkins did nothing to improve their offense over the offseason, which is the main reason why he should be on the hot seat.

For this Blue Jays team to compete in a tough AL East and make a run at a postseason spot, they're going to have to add some offensive firepower. Fortunately, Atkins is reportedly showing interest in acquiring Colorado Rockies third baseman Ryan McMahon, a player who'd be a great fit in Toronto, according to MLB Network's Jon Morosi. As good as that is to see, the McMahon interest comes with a major catch.

Blue Jays might have a hard time prying Ryan McMahon out of Colorado

Morosi says that the Blue Jays are one of several teams expressing interest in McMahon, but it's unlikely that Colorado will make him available at this year's trade deadline. That's the unfortunate part of this rumor.

The player would be an excellent addition for this Blue Jays team as he checks several boxes. He's a left-handed hitter, he's an elite defender, and he's having an outstanding offensive season. McMahon is slashing .286/.366/.483 with ten home runs and 33 RBI in 54 games this season. This is a player who has hit 20+ home runs in each of his last four full seasons (excluding 2020), but is having his best year yet.

What makes McMahon even more appealing is he has actually hit better away from Coors Field than he has with altitude. His .905 OPS on the road is over 100 points higher than his .785 OPS at Coors Field. That shows he can hit and produce at any environment.

The Blue Jays have been starting Isiah Kiner-Falefa primarily at the hot corner and he's played well, but let's not kid ourselves. McMahon would be a sizable upgrade. Unfortunately, since he's under team control through 2027, the Rockies have little incentive to trade him barring a massive return. Chances are, the Jays won't be the team offering them that.

It's good to see the Jays showing interest but Atkins might have to look elsewhere to find his major offensive addition.