Toronto Blue Jays: Possible trade scenarios for bullpen depth

Trading R.A. Dickey

Let’s be honest, the R.A. Dickey trade is a black stain on Alex Anthopoulos’ resume. Even if Travis d’Arnaud doesn’t pan out, the notion of having Noah Syndergaard in Toronto’s’ rotation right now over Dickey makes every Blue Jays fan cringe. Thor looks like a legitimate ace for the Mets right now and Dickey looks like a 41-year-old knuckleballer past his prime.

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Dickey was never anything close to his Cy Young self when the Jays acquired him. It’s tough for the club to keep giving him starts with a 1-4 record and a 5.18 ERA. Making $12MM this season and set to be a free agent in 2017, he holds very little trade value.

However, if he were dealt to a contender with lots of bullpen depth near the trade deadline but short on starting pitching, Dickey is a safe bet to finish the season healthy and log some quality innings here and there on a new team. Jesse Chavez (0-0, 2.45) would probably be the consensus replacement for Dickey at the moment if that happened.

While it’s too early to speculate because a market for any such deal has not yet materialized, Toronto would likely be forced to eat a large portion of Dickey’s remaining salary to get a trade done. A move back to the National League makes the most sense as well.

Next: Trading more prospects