ward

11/21/2024 10:31 AM

Just 22 days have passed since the World Series ended, and while there has been some off-season movement, most teams — including the Toronto Blue Jays — are evaluating the opportunities in front of them before shaking things up.

The possibilities have been clear in the free-agent market for some time, though Friday's non-tender deadline will open a few doors. In terms of trades, it takes a little more imagination to identify avenues to meaningful upgrades.

On Monday, we identified a few specific players the Blue Jays could target based on their needs, but another way of thinking about how Toronto could navigate the opaque trade waters is to focus on what the team has and which other clubs might want it.

The Blue Jays intend to contend in 2025, which makes MLB roster mainstays unlikely to be moved. At the same time, the team is not blessed with a farm system that's revered around the industry. 

Where the organization has a surplus is its collection of cheap MLB-ready position players with plenty of team control who could blossom in roles larger than Toronto's cramped roster promises them.

Players like Addison Barger, Will Wagner, Joey Loperfido, Jonatan Clase, Leo Jiménez, and Davis Schneider aren't widely projected to be future stars, but they have various levels of appeal around the league. Spencer Horwitz and Orelvis Martinez are in a slightly different category due to the former's MLB production and the latter's prospect pedigree. Still, neither is untouchable in the quest for a major-league talent infusion.

Below are some teams that might be interested in buying the kind of players the Blue Jays are selling.

Los Angeles Angels

Blue Jays’ young players of interest: Orelvis Martinez, Addison Barger, Will Wagner, Davis Schneider

Angels’ players of interest: Taylor Ward, Luis Rengifo, Tyler Anderson, Robert Stephenson

How things could come together: Ward is the biggest prize here, considering he has two more years of arbitration with a reasonable 2025 projection ($9.2 million), his wRC+ over the last three seasons (119) ranks 57th among all qualified hitters, and he'd be an excellent fit in left field, where the Blue Jays don't have a locked-in starter.

Rengifo is a credible starter at second or third base who's hit a solid .279/.342/.433 over the last two years and switch hits. He projects to make just $5.8 million in his final year of arbitration and could be a cheap one-year infield solution, allowing the team to spend money elsewhere.

Anderson is a solid innings eater, while Stephenson is vastly overpriced, considering his injury history ($22 million over the next two years). He throws hard and carries a nifty 2027 option ($2.5 million), making him appealing if the right salary retention structure could be found.

The Blue Jays’ youngsters best equipped to meet the Angels' needs are those who play third base — where Anthony Rendon is not a long- or short-term solution — and second, which should soon be vacated by Rengifo, either in a trade or after 2025.

Prospect Christian Moore could be the long-term answer at second, but neither Wagner nor Schneider are limited to that position. Los Angeles could also be interested in corner outfielders as Ward may be shipped out, and Jo Adell is coming up on his age-26 season with a .211/.268/.381 line in more than 1,000 MLB plate appearances.

San Francisco Giants

Blue Jays’ young players of interest: Davis Schneider, Will Wagner, Joey Loperfido, Addison Barger

Giants’ players of interest: Taylor Rogers, Tyler Rogers, Wilmer Flores, Mike Yastrzemski

How things could come together: The Giants have won between 79 and 81 games in each of their last three seasons, and while they don't seem like overt sellers, the club has to be open-minded.

San Francisco's trouble spots are second base and left field. As their depth chart currently stands, those positions — at least against right-handed pitchers — would be filled by Casey Schmitt and Grant McCray.

Here's how Steamer projects those two will fare in 2025:

That pair isn't guaranteed to be in the Giants' Opening Day lineup, but the fact they are the prime candidates at the moment shows the team needs upgrades there. Schneider seems like a nice fit as a 2B/LF player who has already had some success at the MLB level and projects to produce an above-average wRC+ (103) in 2025.

Wagner is also a player the Giants might like because he's a mature, high-floor hitter capable of helping a team that isn't completely flying the white flag in 2025.

The big prizes the Giants could move are Taylor and Tyler Rogers, whose contracts are up following the 2025 season. The high-level reliever twins are coming off excellent seasons and would be hard to give up, but it might be a savvy move for a San Francisco team with subpar competitive prospects.

Flores isn't a clean fit with Toronto as a 1B/DH type, but he's a worthy reclamation project after a dismal 2024. As recently as 2023, he slashed an outstanding .284/.355/.509 (136 wRC+), and he costs just $5.5 million in the last year of his deal.

Yastrzemski could be a two-year option for Toronto in a corner outfield spot with some pop, but in each of the last four seasons, his fWAR has been between 1.6 and 2.3. He offers competence more than impact.

Tampa Bay Rays

Blue Jays’ young players of interest: Jonatan Clase, Spencer Horwitz, Will Wagner, Joey Loperfido

Rays’ players of interest: Brandon Lowe, Yandy Diaz, Zack Littell, Colin Poche

How things could come together: Intradivision trading isn't easy, but the Rays are willing to do whatever it takes to stay competitive with their minimal budget.

Lowe and Diaz have just two years of team control left and make more than $10 million, making them prime candidates to move. Littell doesn't have options and is likely the team's sixth starter today. Meanwhile, southpaw Tyler Anderson projects to be $2 million cheaper in arbitration and has more experience as a swingman. Poche has one year left on his deal and is more accomplished than any lefty reliever in Toronto's organization.

In terms of the Blue Jays players the Rays might like, Horwitz stands out because he's capable of giving them the type of offence they can rarely afford in free agency. Clase and Loperfido get the nod because Tampa Bay just moved Jose Siri and could benefit from adding some centre fielders behind (or to compete with) Jonny Deluca.

Wagner is included here because Lowe is a better fit for the Blue Jays than Diaz and he could give the Rays competent at-bats at second base right away if they moved off their longtime lineup staple. 

Chicago White Sox

Blue Jays’ young players of interest: Jonatan Clase, Joey Loperfido, or anyone with any talent whatsoever.

White Sox players of interest: Luis Robert, Garrett Crochet, Justin Anderson

How things could come together: The White Sox could use just about any quasi-competent position player. 

The only players they have that inspire any confidence are in centre (Robert), left field (Andrew Benintendi), first base (Andrew Vaughn), and DH (Gavin Sheets).

You can quibble with those choices, but at least that group of players has had some MLB success. Beyond that, the MLB roster is a barren wasteland where any upside would come in handy.

We singled out the centre fielders as possible trade chips because Robert makes the most sense as a Blue Jays target.

The 27-year-old is a health and performance risk following a season where he hit just .224/.278/.379 and played only 100 games. At the same time, the tools that had made him so successful in previous seasons didn't elude him, as his speed and contact quality remained stellar.

Robert has graded as an above-average centre fielder and would perform well in a corner while giving the Blue Jays some needed raw power — plus a threat on the bases. He also has an appealing contract that pays him $15 million in 2025, with two club options in 2026 and 2027, each for $20 million. If he bounces back, those options will present excellent value, and if he can't get back on track, it's easy for his team to walk away.

Crochet is listed here because he's one of the most significant trade chips in the league, but there will be so much competition for his services that it's hard to imagine Toronto breaking through. 

Anderson averages 96 m.p.h on his fastball, but the 6.01 BB/9 he's produced in his MLB career suggests he's only worth a look if the Blue Jays have a plan to help him harness his stuff better.