What are the Blue Toronto Blue Jays needs before this years trade deadline?
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Sunday's ugly 11-4 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies put the Toronto Blue Jays on the wrong end of the sweep, souring the 5-4 record that it would have happily taken at the outset of this road trip, but the Blue Jays will return home with a 38-33 record, with a postseason run still sitting right in front of them.
Toronto's rotation has too many question marks right now, from Bowden Francis to the recovery of Max Scherzer and its overall lack of depth, but this conversation doesn't need to be about 2025 alone.
Frankly, no Trade Deadline conversation this season beyond bullpen rentals needs to focus solely on the rest of '25.
The Blue Jays have the financial muscle to look to '26 and beyond, which brings us to José Berrios.
When the Blue Jays acquired Berrios from the Twins in 2021, he came with an additional year of club control and an openness to signing an extension, which he soon did.
Their rotation was led by Robbie Ray that year, but Ray was a pending free agent and the front office wanted to take care of two problems at once, both boosting the team's odds in '21 and jumping the next year's market for starting pitching.
They nailed it in 2021. Now, it's the perfect time to go back to the Berrios blueprint.
Next year's free-agent class will be led by Dylan Cease, Zac Gallen, Framber Valdez and others.
This year's rental crop is appealing, but potential candidates with control into 2026 or beyond include Freddy Peralta of the Brewers and Mitch Keller of the Pirates.
Keep in mind that Berrios wasn't a lock to be dealt in '21 by any means, either.
There are always options, especially for clubs looking to maximize their return and save a few bucks in the process.
The Blue Jays' roster is on the doorstep of some natural turnover, too, and all of this money coming off the books will need to go somewhere.
Contracts expiring after the 2025 season
• RHP Chris Bassitt -- $22 million
• SS Bo Bichette -- $17.6 million
• RHP Max Scherzer -- $15 million
• RHP Chad Green -- $10.5 million
• RHP Erik Swanson -- $3 million
Contracts expiring after the 2026 season
• OF George Springer -- $24.17 million
• RHP Kevin Gausman -- $23 million
• OF Daulton Varsho -- $8.2 million (one arbitration raise remaining)
• RHP Yimi Garcia -- $7.5 million
The Blue Jays will need to forecast some other factors, including the opt-out Berrios holds following the 2026 season, the jump in Andrés Giménez's salary at that same time and the natural increase of salaries through arbitration for their young players.
But the answers at the end of all of this math is that the Toronto has financial flexibility, period.
The Blue Jays have the freedom to not only spend now, but spend well into the future.
Do you think the Blue Jays will be big players at this years trade deadline?
Tell us what you think in the pol below.
Source: MLB.com
| POLL | ||
JUIN 15 | 136 ANSWERS What are the Blue Toronto Blue Jays needs before this years trade deadline? Do you think the Blue Jays will be big players at this years trade deadline? | ||
| Yes | 64 | 47.1 % |
| No | 50 | 36.8 % |
| Too early to tell | 22 | 16.2 % |
| List of polls | ||
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