Trade Deadline Preview: Toronto Blue Jays
By Sean Davis
May 6, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Toronto Blue Jays relief pitcher Marcus Stroman (54) throws a pitch in the ninth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. The Blue Jays defeated the Phillies, 6-5. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
What makes the Blue Jays such an intriguing buyer on the market is the wealth of prospects the team has in order to make a deal happen. They have young, MLB talent, as well as a number of quality prospects in the pipeline that could all be moved in order to entice a team to send their top trade chips north of the border.
The prized prospect in the Blue Jays system, a talented hurler with a fastball in the high 90’s who figures to slot in at or near the top of a MLB rotation in the coming years. Sanchez would likely only be dealt if a major impact player were coming in return.
2. Marcus Stroman
Moving a part of the current MLB starting rotation may be a tough pill to swallow for the Blue Jays, but it’s entirely possible it may be necessary in order to get a major deal done. Stroman has pitched to a 4.01 ERA in 42.2 innings, but his 3.40 FIP indicates he’s been more effective. He’s proven, albeit in a small sample, that he can pitch effectively against MLB hitters, and that may prove more valuable than the high risk/high reward of Sanchez.
3. Anthony Gose
Gose has long been featured in trade rumors involving the Blue Jays, but they have never pulled the trigger, hesitating to deal the speedy outfielder. Gose, though, is a fourth outfielder on the current Blue Jays roster. He hasn’t torn up the American League, posting a .238/.344/.295 line in 125 plate appearances, but his OBP is impressive enough to indicate he may just need more playing time to get comfortable.