Toronto Blue Jays: Is a Fire Sale on the Horizon?
By Phil Akre
The Toronto Blue Jays find themselves in the cellar of the American League East. With the worst record in baseball, the reigning AL East champions will have a tough time getting back to the top.
A year that began with optimism has quickly turned into a nightmare for the Toronto Blue Jays. The team currently sits nine games under .500 with a record of 3-12. After a stellar 2016 campaign, what’s been the difference this season?
A surprisingly ineffective offense.
After owning a top-10 offense a year ago, the Blue Jays are currently the second-worst offense in terms of runs scored. As a team, the collective batting average is .213.
Jose Bautista is starting to show why teams had little interest in him this offseason, as the 36-year-old is hitting .118 with zero home runs thus far. The usually dependable Russell Martin is slashing at .103/.271/.205 with just four hits on the season. To make matters worse, offseason addition Kendrys Morales has a .212 average to his name.
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When veterans slump and a team sinks in the standings, what is usually in order? A rebuild, and according to Buster Olney of ESPN.com, it’s not a far-fetched idea.
"“Rival evaluators already are beginning to size up the Jays as a possible candidate for an extensive midseason sell-off. If Toronto cannot execute a performance U-turn as dramatic as its early-season plummet, evaluators say the Jays could focus on a rebuild and provide a lot of the more attractive players in the market.”"
If the Blue Jays continue to fall well below .500, a fire sale is certainly possible.
Both Marco Estrada and Francisco Liriano, two established starters in Toronto’s rotation, are due for free agency at the end of the year. Would the team consider trading their expiring contracts for assets?
Aside from Estrada and Liriano, veteran Jason Grilli could be traded, as the 40-year-old is on a movable deal.
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While Troy Tulowitzki isn’t the same player he was a few seasons ago, the shortstop is on a reasonable deal (3-year, $54 million). If dangled by the club, he could net a significant return, as the 32-year-old is currently hitting .264 and providing solid defense.
Would the team actually consider trading Josh Donaldson, one of the game’s true superstars? If traded, the “Bringer of Rain” would bring back a huge haul, potentially 1-2 elite prospects and more.
It’s difficult to gauge whether or not the front office will come to grips with reality if the team is still out of contention come July.
As a team with such high hopes headed into the season, it might be hard for the Blue Jays to part with players that are built for a championship, considering they came so close not so long ago.
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Since it’s still early in the season, there is plenty of time for Toronto to turn its season around. But, don’t be surprised if some high-profile names are moved this summer. If so, it’d be a shocking turn of events for a team that was a few wins away from the World Series a season ago.