The Blue Jays’ nightmare start is already sparking trade deadline buzz, with one $110 million ace now emerging as a potential move, a prominent MLB analyst predicted Sunday. Toronto has won only seven of their first 20 games and sits in last place in the American League East. Not the start the defending American League champions expected after spending $337 million in the free agent market over the offseason.
The start raises serious doubts over whether the Blue Jays will contend this season, and what the team’s future holds. If Toronto doesn’t turn things around quickly, rival contenders could line up for one of the most reliable arms on the market.
The Jays came just two outs short of nailing down a Game 7 World Series win against the Los Angeles Dodgers, then went on their free agent spending spree to, they hoped, guarantee that they would be even better in 2026. The $337 million total did not include the $16 million commanded by pitcher Shane Bieber when he surprisingly exercised his player option to stay in Toronto, or for that matter the $500 million contract extension for five-time All-Star first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Those contracts bring the total that the Blue Jays committed to improve their roster this season to a staggering $853 million. Needless to say, the results in the early going have been less than impressive, making the Toronto spending look more reckless than smart.
Now, in a prediction by longtime FanSided MLB analyst Christopher Kline, the Blue Jays will need to hold a trade deadline fire sale to get the franchise back on track, unless they can completely reverse the disastrous trend of their first 20 games. And one ace pitcher is at the top of the trade list.
Toronto Will Need to Retool Again Next Offseason
According to Kline, “Toronto will need to crunch the numbers and consider a retool next winter. George Springer and Kevin Gausman are aging out of their primes. Toronto’s wealth of arms (when healthy) puts Shane Bieber and Eric Lauer — not to mention Max Scherzer — on the watchlist. Daulton Varsho is an awesome five-tool force when healthy, but Toronto has so many outfielders under contract next year.”
All of those names, who now form a significant piece of the Blue Jays’ core that got them to the World Series last season, are “fair game” for the trade block as the franchise looks to push the button on a reset, according to the FanSided analyst. But one name goes to the top of the list, and that is the 14-year veteran who has served as the ace of the Blue Jays pitching staff for the past five seasons, the 35-year-old Gausman.
Gausman in Final Year of $110 Million Contract
Pitching the final season of the five-year, $110 million contract he signed with the Blue Jays before the 2022 season, after signing as a free agent from the San Francisco Giants, Gausman still appears to have plenty left in the tank.
In his first four starts, the 2012 No. 4 overall draft pick has compiled a 2.42 ERA, striking out 31 in 22 1/3 innings with only five walks and 14 hits. As a result, according to Kline, Gausman would bring “a nice haul” in prospects, helping the Blue Jays build for the future.
“He carries the most value in a league where postseason-caliber pitching is always in high demand,” Kline wrote. “That doesn’t mean Gausman is expendable on a winning team. If Toronto ends up punting to 2027, however, it’s much easier to justify trading the two-time All-Star. The Jays can still get a nice haul.”
The Blue Jays’ future, which less than a month ago looked extremely bright, now suddenly appears murky with a roster overhaul in the works unless Toronto can get past the nightmare of its first 20 games and turn their season around.
Blue Jays Predicted to Trade $110 Million Pitcher Amid Nightmare Season Start