After aggressively buying at the 2015 trade deadline and being a bit more understated during the 2016 trade deadline, it appears the Toronto Blue Jays will be going in a different direction in 2017. According to a report from ESPN’s Buster Olney, the Jays seem to be ready to move into sell mode if the team doesn’t turn things around soon.
Our @Buster_ESPN tells @NaylorLandsberg that Shapiro/Atkins are prepared to make a "hard right-hand turn into retooling or rebuilding"
— Dave Naylor (@TSNDaveNaylor) July 4, 2017
After winning the AL East in 2015 and claiming a 2016 Wild Card en route to back to back ALCS appearances, the Jays sit last in the AL East with a record of 38-45 following Tuesday’s win over the Yankees. In the tight American League, the Jays still entered play on Tuesday just five games out of a Wild Card spot, but they were also one of ten teams within five games of that final playoff spot, meaning that they would need to outplay nearly half of the league and not just one or two teams to reach the Postseason once again.
But the Jays don’t exactly have much to sell off, which could be a problem for the team’s front office in a matter of weeks. Starting pitchers Marco Estrada and Francisco Liriano will both be free agents at the end of the season, but with ERAs of 4.86 and 5.66 respectively, they may not attract the attention on the market that could have been expected. JA Happ, signed for $13 million in 2018, is someone that could attract interest, as he has pitched to a 3.47 ERA to go along with 57 strikeouts and 11 walks in 57 innings.
The team’s cadre of relievers also could represent interesting options for buying teams, but the only one that would likely fetch a hefty return is closer Roberto Osuna, still under control for three more seasons. He has a 2.218 ERA, 46 strikeouts, and just three walks this season in 33 innings. Veteran relievers such as Joe Smith (free agent after 2017) and Aaron Loup (free agent after 2018) will likely be easy to move, as would players with more control like Danny Barnes, Dominic Leone, Ryan Tepera, and reliever turned starter Joe Biagini, but the Jays might find it more palatable to hold onto them.
On the offensive side of things, Toronto will have a tough sell for most of their players. Though catching is still in short supply, the $40 million owed to Russell Martin over the next two seasons could make him tough to move. Josh Donaldson is still a very attractive option at third base, but will likely top $20 million in 2018, his final season of arbitration eligibility, and he’s played in just 42 games this season. Jose Bautista’s offensive numbers have declined for a third straight season, and thanks to a mutual option on his 2018 contract, he could just be a two month rental for an acquiring team. Troy Tulowitzki’s contract is unmovable, and given the middling season he’s having, I doubt any team would want to take on the $23 million still owed to Kendrys Morales over the next two seasons.
There’s one player I didn’t mention, and he would be the guy that Toronto would be able to recoup the most for. Marcus Stroman still has three years of control left after 2017, and at just 26, has the makings of a legitimate ace, despite what his 4.37 ERA last season may tell you. This year, Stroman has a 3.42 ERA, 87 strikeouts, and 26 walks over 105 1/3 innings, and only Lance McCullers Jr of the Astros has been better among qualified starting pitchers in baseball at inducing ground balls than Stroman.
There would be plenty of value to be had if the Jays were to move him, and if that day does come, Toronto has to stay firm in their demands and can’t settle for a lesser package just to move him. Trading Stroman for a bounty of quality prospects would lessen the blow of dealing one of the game’s brightest young stars, and would at least ensure that the Jays are getting something of value for him instead of potentially wasting his next three seasons in an AL East that will be dominated by youth for the foreseeable future.
[TSN]
