The Toronto Blue Jays have had a tough start to the 2026 season, and a major reason for it has been their injury trouble. The Blue Jays currently have a 21-25 record and are third in the American League East standings. However, their playoff hopes are still very much alive, as they trail the Texas Rangers by only one game for the final wild card spot in the American League.
With the Blue Jays struggling but still having a real shot of making the playoffs, they should be looking to add to their roster. Given their injury trouble, it would be wise for them to bring in another impactful starting pitcher to their rotation.
Because of this, the Blue Jays are now being urged to swing a trade for an interesting trade candidate on the Seattle Mariners.
Blue Jays Urged to Trade for Mariners All-Star Pitcher Luis Castillo
In a recent article for Sports Illustrated, Patrick McAvoy looked at three potential pitching targets for the Blue Jays. Among the players who McAvoy urged the Blue Jays to try to acquire is Seattle Mariners star pitcher Luis Castillo.
“The Mariners have six healthy starters right now. Castillo has had a tough season so far with a 6.34 ERA in nine starts. He has a 3.64 career ERA, though, and had a 3.54 ERA last season in 32 starts. If the Mariners are willing to make a move, the Blue Jays should call,” McAvoy wrote.
With the Blue Jays’ rotation needing a boost, it would make sense if they tried to swing a deal with the Mariners for Castillo. While he has struggled this season, his strong resume makes him a prime bounce-back candidate. Keep in mind, the 6-foot-2 righty is a three-time All-Star who has had an ERA under 4.00 in each of his last seven seasons before this one.
If Toronto struck a deal for Castillo and he regained his elite form, it would be huge for a Blue Jays club that is looking to prove that they can be legitimate contenders again this year in the American League. The potential for Castillo to be a strong addition to the front half of the Blue Jays’ rotation is there, so it would make sense if Toronto at least kicked tires on the 10-year veteran.
Blue Jays Should Be Looking to Add to Their Roster As Soon As Possible
With how this campaign has been going for the Blue Jays, they should be working quickly to add to their roster. It is clear that they need to make some upgrades due to their injury trouble, and that goes beyond with their starting pitching. With this, the Blue Jays are undoubtedly going to be a team to watch incredibly closely between now and the 2026 MLB Trade Deadline.
It will now be interesting to see if the Blue Jays end up making a push for Castillo. He would have the potential to be a strong pickup for Toronto, but he would need to bounce back if given a fresh start.
Blue Jays Urged to Swing Trade for Mariners All-Star Pitcher