Blue Jays Predicted to Land Cy Young Winner After Recent Stretch

A few months ago, it looked like the Toronto Blue Jays were in one of the worst positions to be around Major League Baseball. With a below-average farm system, the big league team not playing as well as many expected, and other factors, including the fact that the Blue Jays haven’t been able to sign marquee free agents in recent years, it was tough to see how things would get better. 

Fast forward to the end of the All-Star break, and the Blue Jays have been one of the better teams in Major League Baseball, now sitting in first place in the loaded American League East by two games over the New York Yankees. 

As the Blue Jays look to make some interesting decisions at the trade deadline, “Talking Baseball Podcast,”  part of JomBoy Media, predicted that the Blue Jays would trade for a former Cy Young Award winner, Sandy Alcantara. With the Blue Jays now expected to be in a buyer’s mode, Alcantara could make sense for them. 

“You’re making an investment in Sandy,” Jake Storiale said. “This is his first year coming back, you would in theory get him through 2027, and it’s a flashy trade.”

“If you can’t sign guys, trade for them. They (the Blue Jays) need some pitching. Him and Max Scherzer yukking it up, all those veteran pitchers, (it’s) a flashy Toronto (move).”

How Aggressive Will the Blue Jays Be Ahead of the Deadline?

Barring something drastic happening over the next few weeks, the Toronto Blue Jays will head into the July 31 trade deadline with a very good opportunity to improve. 

Their below-average farm system won’t help, but outside of that, the Blue Jays have a good opportunity to get better just off the simple fact that they’re in first place. 

As long as they continue this trend and don’t go on a terrible stretch over the next 13 or so days, there isn’t much reason for them not to improve. 

According to The Athletic’s Jim Bowden, the Blue Jays are expected to be aggressive at the deadline. He noted that Ross Atkins believes that the team has an opportunity to win in the postseason, giving him confidence in the eventual moves he makes. 

“I think in terms of the Blue Jays, the gloves are off, they’re really open,” Bowden said on the “Foul Territory” podcast. “They’re smelling that they can make the playoffs, they’re smelling that they can win. I think that in terms of their farm system, especially knowing that, again, Mark Shapiro and Ross Atkins, their contracts are up. If they can sit there and make the postseason, they’re gonna get long-term contracts. They’re gonna do whatever it takes… they’re willing to trade their top prospects and try to win right now,”

Other Available Pitching Options

Alcantara won’t be the only player available, as the Toronto Blue Jays will also have a chance to trade for some other elite arms. 

The righty has struggled a bit this year, but the same could be said for many of the other top pitchers available. That includes Zac Gallen, whom Bob Nightengale of USA Today recently reported the Blue Jays have an interest in. 

“GMs believe that the Toronto Blue Jays could be as aggressive as any team in baseball at the deadline, believing this could be their best chance to return to the World Series since 1993. The Blue Jays are looking for a front-line pitcher, and have shown interest in Gallen,” he noted.

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