It’s not a secret that the Toronto Blue Jays’ campaign hasn’t gone as expected. Injuries, poor performances, and bad luck have conspired against them in the first six weeks of the regular season.
The Canadian franchise has a 17-24 record entering Thursday’s action, good for last place in the ultra-competitive AL East. They already sit nine games behind the top spot held by the New York Yankees. And unless they improve quickly, they might be out of playoff contention by late June or early July.
Of course, that’s not a desirable scenario. After all, the Blue Jays reached the ALCS the past two seasons, and were considered as contenders once again. But they got significantly weaker during the offseason, and not having some of their best players such as Josh Donaldson and Troy Tulowitzki does not help their chances. And as one could have imagined, they haven’t been able to replace Edwin Encarnacion, who signed with the Cleveland Indians.
Donaldson and Tulowitzki could return soon, but Toronto’s front office needs to start making decisions. Do they hold the trigger and see how the season develops? Or do they scale in a full rebuild process and start flipping their best players for prospects? It’s not an easy decision, but it’s one Toronto will eventually have to make. Their core is not going to last forever, and it’s not like they are getting any younger.
Their offense centers around Donaldson, Tulowitzki, and Jose Bautista. Out of the three, Donaldson should be untouchable. He’s one of the best third baseman in all of baseball, and should remain with the franchise even during a rebuild. Toronto can’t afford to lose him, because he still have several good years left ahead of him. The other two, however, could be replaceable.
Both Bautista and Tulowitzki are not in the prime anymore, and it would make sense to flip them elsewhere if Toronto is not going contend. Both are well respected among the league, and can provide leadership and instant offense on winning teams. Kendrys Morales, Russell Martin, and Melvin Upton Jr. could also have value near the deadline. But as long as they keep Donaldson around, they would be fine.
Pitching is another story though, because that’s the biggest strength of Toronto at the moment. Aaron Sanchez, Marcus Stroman, and Francisco Liriano form a great top three, and Roberto Osuna is one of the most promising closers in all of baseball. Veterans such as J.A. Happ and Marco Estrada could be available though, as contending teams never have too many arms. And it’s worth noting that Estrada is on a expiring contract, so it would make sense to deal him if the chance arises.
We are not saying the Blue Jays need to start making trades right now. However, their situation is not a promising one. They have some young, talented players on the roster, but they need to do something if they realize they are not going to make the playoffs. And if they maintain their core of Stroman, Donaldson, Sanchez and Osuna, a few trades could help them become competitive as soon as next year.
And who knows? Maybe they can get a stud or two for the future. The Boston Red Sox and the Yankees have been successful when getting younger. And no one says the Blue Jays can’t follow that same route, especially considering their talent and the success they’ve had in recent years.