The baseball trade rumors are flying with the July 30 MLB trade deadline quickly approaching. One team in the center of those discussions is the Toronto Blue Jays, who enter the All-Star break at 44-52, 14 games behind the AL East-leading Baltimore Orioles.
Teams are calling about two of the team’s franchise cornerstones, with interest in Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr, but the Blue Jays don’t seem inclined to trade either All-Star hitter. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t other players that the Blue Jays can part with as they become trade deadline sellers.
Toronto Blue Jays expected to sell, but Bichette and Guerrero are staying
According to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, the Blue Jays will be accelerating their trade deadline selloff soon.
“The free-falling Blue Jays will soon start their fire sale, while keeping Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Rival GMs say the only player who will bring a significant return is starter Yusei Kikuchi. The Blue Jays’ bright future suddenly looks quite murky.”
Bob Nightengale
Several teams, including the Minnesota Twins, are expected to have an interest in the Blue Jays’ left-handed pitcher Yusei Kikuchi. The one-time All-Star is in the midst of a respectable season in which he’s holding steady with an ERA of 4.00 and an ERA+ of 101. He’d be a great addition to the middle or back of the rotation for many playoff contenders.
As Nightengale notes, Kikuchi is the only player among the available Blue Jays players who is expected to bring back a big trade return. But with the 33-year-old set to become a free agent at the end of the season, it makes sense to shop Kikuchi now, before the Blue Jays let him hit the open market.
Related: Chicago White Sox now optimistic about trading franchise cornerstone