As the 2026 MLB Trade Deadline closes in, the Blue Jays are sorting through offers and counteroffers with a seller’s mindset. Toronto has a few names to watch over the next two days, and while the club is almost certain to move some players on expiring contracts, there’s still a chance it looks beyond simple subtraction.
That matters because the Blue Jays could also try to bring in a player with term, someone who helps not just for the rest of this season but after it too. And if Toronto goes that route, it may have to consider moving a prospect to get an MLB-caliber piece back.
That’s where Nolan Perry comes in.
In a recent MLB.com piece, Jim Callis, Jonathan Mayo, and Sam Dykstra identified Perry as the Blue Jays prospect most likely to be dealt before the deadline. They pointed to the same kind of breakout path that helped turn Kendry Rojas and Khal Stephen into attractive trade pieces at last year’s Deadline, writing: "The organization’s improved pitching pipeline helped turn Kendry Rojas and Khal Stephen into desirable pieces at last year’s Deadline, and Perry (who is currently on the injured list for a concussion) has followed in their breakout steps in his climb from Single-A to Double-A." They added, "Again, expect Toronto to add more prospects than it subtracts, but this time of year represents an opportunity to improve in many facets."
Perry’s numbers help explain the buzz. In 14 games this season across Single-A, High-A, and Double-A, he has gone 3-3 with a 2.41 ERA and 85 strikeouts. Those are the kind of results that get attention, especially from teams looking for pitching help and willing to listen on their own players.
Still, moving him would not be a no-brainer for Toronto.
There’s real upside here. At 6-foot-2, the right-hander has shown enough this season to make a future as a solid MLB pitcher look very possible. MLB.com currently lists Perry as the Blue Jays’ top pitching prospect and their third-best prospect overall, which makes him a significant part of the system and not just a throw-in name.
So if Toronto decides it wants to chase a bigger name at the deadline, Perry could wind up as the price. The question now is whether the Blue Jays are willing to part with one of their most intriguing young arms to make that kind of move.
In Other News...
Blue Jays Just Made A Deadline Bet Fans Will Debate For Years
The Blue Jays took a significant swing at the deadline, adding a controllable arm to a rotation that had been a talking point for most of the season. Torontos front office has made it clear it wanted pitching help without sacrificing long-term flexibility, and this deal fit that mold in a way that should spark plenty of debate among fans as the organization tries to thread the needle between winning now and keeping the pipeline alive.
For the Angels, the return underscored a different kind of urgency, one centered on young position-player talent and a longer view of the roster. Toronto paid a real price to get the deal done, and whenever a team sends out a top prospect in a move like this, the aftermath tends to linger well beyond the deadline. The question now is whether the Blue Jays got the kind of rotation help they needed badly enough to justify parting with that sort of future value. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jays Deadline Selloff Just Took A Bigger Turn Than Expected
Torontos deadline selloff keeps taking on a different shape, and the latest move only underscores how committed the Blue Jays are to the rebuild. Established pieces are still in play as the club shifts toward the future, and the front office has shown a willingness to move players who had been part of the recent core rather than simply trimming around the edges.
One of the most notable names in that churn was on the move to a contender, with Houston looking to shore up its outfield for a playoff push. The appeal is obvious from the Astros side, given the defensive value and October background attached to the player they added, while for Toronto it marks another step in a deadline that has already gone farther than many around the team expected. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jays Just Made A Kevin Gausman Deadline Decision Fans Will Judge
With the MLB trade deadline closing in, the Blue Jays made a move that underscored how aggressively they were willing to reshape their roster. Kevin Gausman is headed to the Cubs, a team that has been scrambling for rotation help amid injuries, and Toronto is taking a step that will be debated heavily by fans who have watched him anchor the staff.
The return gives Toronto a pair of young pieces to work with in outfielder Brett Bateman and infielder Ty Southisene, a sign the front office is balancing present needs against future value. For a club trying to thread that needle in a deadline market that rewards urgency, this is the kind of decision that can look smart in one light and hard to stomach in another, depending on what comes next. [Read more 🡒]