The Toronto Blue Jays made it all the way to the World Series last season, but this season, Toronto has struggled.
With the Blue Jays being only one game back of a Wild Card, despite being two games under .500, Toronto is linked to making a surprising move at the deadline. The Blue Jays have a couple of needs, and MLB insider Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic believes the team is open to adding more money to their already high payroll.
“The Toronto Blue Jays already are well above the highest luxury-tax threshold, but at least one rival club is under the impression the team would take on additional payroll to get the offense it needs,” Rosenthal wrote.
Toronto currently has the third-highest payroll in baseball this season, according to Spotrac. So, the Blue Jays being willing to add even more money to that shows that ownership believes they can win.
Injuries have hindered the Blue Jays, but with the team getting healthier, Toronto will likely be buyers ahead of the deadline.
What Might the Blue Jays be After?
With the Blue Jays expected to be buyers ahead of the deadline, Toronto has a couple of needs, according to Rosenthal.
Rosenthal believes Luis Arraez makes a lot of sense for Toronto, but Toronto is also looking for a right-handed hitting outfielder, as well as pitching.
“The ideal fit for the Jays is a high-contact average hitter and/or a right-handed hitting outfielder. San Francisco Giants second baseman Luis Arraez might make sense as the contact guy, but his chase rate is nearly as high as the Jays’ league-leading 34 percent mark. Acquiring Arraez also might force the Jays to shift Ernie Clement, arguably their best hitter this season, from second base to the left side of the infield, eating into the playing time of shortstop Andrés Giménez and third baseman Kazuma Okamoto.
“The right-handed-hitting outfielder actually might be the Jays’ greater need; their outfield is predominantly left-handed. The team also is expected to pursue pitching help, both starting and relief.”
The Blue Jays have a surplus of left-handed hitting outfielders in Daulton Varsho, Nathan Lukes, Yohendrick Pinango, and Jesus Sanchez, showing the need for a right-handed outfielder.
Toronto Remains Confident in Group
Despite the Blue Jays being under .500, Toronto remains confident in its group.
World Series champion pitcher Patrick Corbin said the clubhouse has plenty of belief and confidence that they will go on a run.
“You’d obviously love to win the series and kind of end on a good note,” said Corbin. “But we’ve had a stretch against some pretty good teams and just kind of been in games and maybe not have won a couple of those (when) maybe we should have.
“I think the good thing about this team is everyone comes in the same whether we won or lost, and they’re prepared. That’s what you like. There’s so many highs and lows in this game. And just to see how people react to that, it shows there’s no panic here.”
Toronto is 37-39.
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