MLB Insider Buster Olney: 'Blue Jays are a Naylor or Suarez from becoming the team to beat in the AL'
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ESPN MLB insider Buster Olney links the Toronto Blue Jays to two Arizona Diamondbacks players who could fit their needs in third baseman Eugenio Saurez and Mississauga first baseman / outfielder Josh Naylor.
Naylor could provide the Blue Jays with the spark they need with the long ball, but with Guerrero Jr. cemented at first base, the team would have weigh the pros and cons of using Naylor as a full-time designated hitter.
"The question [with Naylor] is that because you have Vladdy, that means Naylor would have to be a DH," said Olney. "Are they comfortable having George Springer playing more outfield than he is right now? I feel like Springer is at his best when he can get time off his feet and serve as a DH."
"They're gonna be as aggressive as any team"
This morning on #FirstUp, @Buster_ESPN explained why the Blue Jays will be aggressive at the #MLB trade deadline. Who should the Jays be pursuing? Let us know! 👇
This morning on #FirstUp, @Buster_ESPN explained why the Blue Jays will be aggressive at the #MLB trade deadline. Who should the Jays be pursuing? Let us know! 👇
"Generally, the feedback I'm getting from other teams is that they just gave Vladimir Guerrero Jr. $500 million, and the team is performing better than anyone expected with the way the offence has turned around since May. So now is the time [to go all-in] and it's a rare opportunity," ESPN's Buster Olney told TSN1050's First Up on Tuesday.
Eugenio Suarez will be one of the most sought-after trade deadline pieces on the market with a number of contending teams competing for his services, including the Blue Jays and Yankees.
The 34-year-old infielder is third in the majors with 36 home runs and leads the league with 86 RBIs.
He is in the final season of a seven-year, $66 million contract and is slated to become an unrestricted free agent in the off-season.
Along with the Blue Jays and Yankees, Olney lists the Chicago Cubs and Seattle Mariners as other suitors for Suarez, with both franchises having a more attractive farm system than the two AL East teams.
Olney suggests Blue Jays and Yankees farm systems puts them at a disadvantage in a trade for Naylor or Suarez.
"The case with the Blue Jays, because their farm system isn't considered to be as deep as other teams, they might be at a disadvantage," said Olney. "The Yankees definitely want him, but they don't have a great farm system [either]. The Cubs have a better farm system, and if they decide to go in, they would have a lot to offer. I think Seattle is [also] really dangerous in the Suarez bidding and there are a lot of teams that could be involved in that discussion."
Outside of the offence, bullpen pitching help will be a hot commodity as teams try to stock up with as many arms as possible for a playoff run.
Olney lists Jhoan Duran and Griffin Jax of the Minnesota Twins and Kevin Ginkel of the Diamondbacks as possible options for teams heading into the deadline.
However, the crown jewel in the bullpen could come from the St. Louis Cardinals with closer Ryan Helsley possibly becoming available if the team continues to plummet in the standings.
Olney compared the bullpen market to musical chairs where he thinks every contending team will acquire an arm or two prior to the deadline, but the quality of those arms will be the main question.
| POLL | ||
JUILLET 22 | 167 ANSWERS MLB Insider Buster Olney: 'Blue Jays are a Naylor or Suarez from becoming the team to beat in the AL' Would you rather the Blue Jays trade for Josh Naylor or Eugenio Saurez? | ||
| Josh Naylor | 45 | 26.9 % |
| Eugenio Saurez | 54 | 32.3 % |
| They need bullpen help | 46 | 27.5 % |
| They need a starter | 22 | 13.2 % |
| List of polls | ||