The Toronto Blue Jays could still be buyers ahead of the August 3 trade deadline, and adding starting pitching is a clear need.
Toronto’s rotation has been hampered by injuries, as Jose Berrios, Bowden Francis, and Cody Ponce are all lost for the season. Max Scherzer, Trey Yesavage, and Shane Bieber have also missed time, and when healthy, all three have struggled this season.
So, if the Blue Jays opt to be buyers, the team should look for pitching help. And, MLB analyst Jake Storiale of Talkin’ Baseball predicts Toronto will acquire Robbie Ray to bolster the rotation.
“I think there is a guy who’s guaranteed to be traded. I think it’s Robbie Ray. I’m going to say there’s a desperate AL team that he used to play on, that’s a starting pitcher short. Give me Toronto. It’s a team he’s familiar with; it’s a true rental. I think Toronto doesn’t think they are dead. They will add Robbie Ray,” Storiale said.
Ray pitched for the Blue Jays in 2020 and 2021 and was dominant. Toronto acquired him in August of 2020, as he struggled with the Arizona Diamondbacks. But Blue Jays pitching coach Pete Walker saw something in him.
In 2021, Ray was stellar as he went 13–7. He ended up leading the American League in ERA (2.84), strikeouts (248), innings pitched (193+1⁄3), and WHIP (1.04), en route to a Cy Young win, as he received 29 of 30 first-place votes.
After winning the Cy Young, Ray signed with the Seattle Mariners, but could return to Toronto in the final year of the five-year, $115 million deal he signed with Seattle.
Blue Jays Looking to Add Pitching
Although Toronto is outside of a playoff spot, if the team is going to go on a run, they need to add more starting pitching.
Ahead of the trade deadline, Blue Jays GM Ross Atkins confirmed the team’s biggest need is starting pitching.
“It’s probably starting pitching. But it’s not as easy as just deciding to do that, because we have five starters that we’re confident in,” Atkins said. “You can just never have enough. We’ve talked about that a lot over the years and over this year, specifically, as we started heavy in that category. We’re just always looking to support that. In an ideal world, it would be optionable starting pitching, one of the hardest things to acquire in baseball.”
Although Atkins said it would be a starting pitcher with control, Ray would make sense as a fifth starter and add much-needed stability to the rotation.
Ray is 8-6 with a 3.38 ERA in 19 games, including 18 starts this season.
Ray Likely to be Dealt
With the Giants well out of the playoff picture, Ray is likely to be traded ahead of the August 3 trade deadline.
Meanwhile, MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand believes the Giants should also look to retain money on his deal.
“Ray — an All-Star in 2025 — is earning $25 million in the final year of his contract, and if San Francisco is willing to pick up part of his remaining salary, there should be a number of contenders open to adding him to the middle of their rotation for the stretch run,” Feinsand wrote.
Ray is a two-time MLB All-Star.
Blue Jays Predicted to Re-Acquire Cy Young Award Winner Amid Rotation Woes