The Toronto Blue Jays may be drifting toward seller mode before the August 3 trade deadline, and two familiar veteran names are already popping up as possible targets for contenders.
That shift comes after Friday night’s 6-4 loss to the Boston Red Sox, a defeat that pushed Toronto further back in the American League wild-card standings. For a club that opened the year coming 90 feet short of a World Series title last fall and expected another deep run, the slide has been a tough one to absorb.
Still, the season has gone sideways in a lot of ways. Injuries have piled up, key players have underperformed, and the Blue Jays now have to weigh whether it makes more sense to push forward or start listening on veterans.
Thomas Harrigan of MLB.com recently named eight trade candidates who could be more appealing than their 2026 numbers suggest, and two Blue Jays made the list: right-hander Kevin Gausman and outfielder/DH George Springer.
Gausman stands out first because of what he has meant to Toronto’s rotation over the past couple of seasons, including during the club’s 2025 run. The 35-year-old is set to become a free agent after the season, which makes him the kind of player a contender could try to rent for a postseason push. The numbers haven’t been pretty, though - he is 4-9 with a 4.51 ERA in 21 starts.
He has had a rough stretch lately, but he gets another chance Sunday in Boston at Fenway Park, where he’ll be tasked with slowing down the hottest team in baseball. A strong outing there would go a long way toward reminding teams why he could still be worth the gamble.
Springer brings a different kind of appeal. He missed time early in the season because of a foot injury, but he’s back now and starting to find his power again, with five home runs in his last 27 games.
He has a track record of delivering in October with both the Blue Jays and Houston Astros, and that kind of right-handed bat is exactly the sort of addition plenty of teams would look at before the deadline. The Red Sox were even mentioned as a possible fit.
With the deadline approaching, Toronto should expect plenty of calls. Given the age and contract situations of some of its veterans, the Blue Jays may decide that moving a few pieces now makes more sense with an eye toward 2027 and beyond.
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Padres May Finally Be Closing In On The Rotation Help They Need
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Gausmans status as a free agent after the season gives Toronto a real decision to make, especially if the club wants to turn an impending departure into assets. The market around him is expected to be active, with several contenders in the mix, and for the Blue Jays it could become one of the more consequential calls of the deadline. [Read more 🡒]