The Toronto Blue Jays are likely sellers ahead of the August 3 MLB Trade Deadline.
Toronto will likely look to trade some pending free agents, and one of the players the Blue Jays can trade is George Springer. Springer is a pending free agent and has started to hit the ball much better as of late.
He’s also been a proven playoff performer, so some teams still should be interested in Springer. Ahead of the deadline, MLB analyst Mike Axisa of CBS Sports predicted Toronto will trade Springer to the Cleveland Guardians in a surprise move.
“Another team with right-handed hitter issues, the Guardians must do something to lengthen their lineup. They need any kind of offense,” Axisa wrote. “The Guardians rarely swing big at the deadline, and while George Springer is a household name, he’s a platoon guy/lower-level bat at this point, not someone who will cost your firstborn in a trade. That’s more up Cleveland’s alley.
“The Blue Jays and Guardians have hooked up for several trades over the last 18 months or so (Shane Bieber, Andrés Giménez, Myles Straw). The supply (Springer is a rental) and demand (the Guardians need a bat) align. Springer can DH and push Chase DeLauter to right field.”
The Guardians landing Springer would be a surprise, but he does fit the lineup. And, as we have seen in the past, Toronto and Cleveland’s front offices have worked on plenty of trades.
However, Springer does have 10-and-5 rights, so he can block any trade, and it’s uncertain if he would want to go to Cleveland.
Springer is hitting .234 with 12 home runs and 34 RBIs this season.
Springer Could be an Interesting Trade Candidate
Although Springer hasn’t been as good this year, he’s picked it up as of late and is a proven playoff performer.
So, MLB insider Buster Olney of ESPN, who was on TSN Radio, believes Springer is an interesting trade candidate due to what he does in the playoffs. He’s also a good clubhouse leader.
“He’s got the pedigree in October, but he’s known as being a really great clubhouse guy,” said Olney. “If you are a team like the Braves could use a right-handed hitter, somebody who could potentially fill in at DH, there’s a lot to like.”
Springer is also a pending free agent, so the price to acquire him wouldn’t be that high. However, Olney believes pending free agents could be the best fits for teams, as some owners don’t want a ton of money on the books for 2027 due to a potential lockout.
Blue Jays Get Huge Series Win
Toronto is coming off a series win over the Washington Nationals and will likely need a sweep this weekend to have any hopes of not being a seller.
Yet, Blue Jays infielder Ernie Clement said the series win was needed.
“That was big. We needed a series win. It was a grindy game today, so big win,” Clement said postgame.
Toronto is now 50-59 and is 5.5 games back of a Wild Card spot.
Blue Jays Predicted to Trade George Springer to Surprising AL Club