The Toronto Blue Jays have had a very disappointing season to date. After coming to within two outs of their first World Series title since 1993 last October, they are three games under .500 and 10 games back of the New York Yankees in the American League East.
Their starting rotation has gotten a little bit stronger in recent weeks with the returns of Dylan Cease and Max Scherzer. However, they are still without Shane Bieber, so there are some holes to fill in their starting rotation.
That is likely the area they will focus on at the trade deadline, which falls on August 3 this year. Jeff Passan of ESPN listed several top trade candidates. One of them was Minnesota Twins right-hander Joe Ryan, and the Blue Jays were named a possible fit.
“Ryan was one of the lone survivors after the Twins’ teardown last deadline — and Minnesota was deep into discussions on deals involving him, as well. So, a move would surprise nobody, particularly considering that Ryan looks better than ever this season,” Passan wrote.
“Calling him a front-line starter is not just Minnesota Nice. It’s a reality, and contenders — even ones with good rotations — will be lining up the moment the Twins declare Ryan available.”
Joe Ryan Named Fit for Blue Jays
The Blue Jays do have a lot of depth in their starting rotation, but they still have a few pitchers on the injured list, so it would make sense for them to pursue somebody like Ryan. The former All-Star is 4-3 with a 3.17 ERA in 15 starts and is also under club control through the 2027 season, so the Blue Jays would have him locked up for at least one more year.
The 30-year-old has been Minnesota’s top starting pitcher over the past several years, but Minnesota is unlikely to bounce back into contention, especially after last year’s selloff at the deadline, so moving Ryan while his value is high makes sense.
While Toronto is 10 games back in the AL East, they are just one back in the wild card race, and adding Ryan to the mix would give them a great chance to claim one of the three spots down the stretch.
The Blue Jays still have a very strong team on paper, so it may only be a matter of time before they heat up. Still, adding Ryan would help their cause as they try to finish the job this October.
Blue Jays’ Rotation with Ryan
Once Bieber gets healthy, the Blue Jays could have a rotation that features him, Ryan, Cease, Scherzer, Kevin Gausman and Trey Yesavage. Any of those six could be trusted to start Game 1 of a playoff series, so this could give the Blue Jays a big advantage in the wild card series if they make it that far.
The Blue Jays still have the potential to be tough to beat, and adding another frontline starter would make things even tougher for their American League opponents. It will be interesting to see how the Blue Jays attack the deadline.
Blue Jays Named Potential Fit for Twins Former All-Star Pitcher