After the first 49 games of the season, the Toronto Blue Jays are 25 and 24. They are coming off an impressive sweep of the San Diego Padres, one of the best teams in baseball.
Despite the Blue Jays being on the rise in recent weeks, there has been a lot of trade talk surrounding some of their players. Of those players mentioned in trade talks, Bo Bichette is the name most often thrown into mock trades and trade ideas.
Those trade talks have led to the Blue Jays rarely being mentioned as trade deadline buyers. Instead, Toronto is typically mentioned as a seller. But, in a segment on Foul Territory, Ken Rosenthal put a damper on the trade rumors surrounding Toronto.
Ken Rosenthal’s Insight On Blue Jays’ Vibe
One of the main points that Rosenthal made when discussing the Toronto Blue Jays being unlikely to sell is the general vibe inside the organization.
“They’re over .500 right now, they just swept Seattle and San Diego, two good teams, and they have been talking as a team, as if the vibe is better,” said Rosenthal. “They’re in a better place overall. They just feel good about themselves, they feel like they’re not out of any game.”
With a strong feeling inside the Blue Jays’ clubhouse, the odds of them selling their players seem low. Sitting five games behind the New York Yankees, the Blue Jays are still within striking distance.
Not only are they within reach of the AL East lead, but they are fifth among all non-division leaders in winning percentage. Among the four teams ahead of them, the Blue Jays are at most two games behind the top team.
Toronto is still well within reach of the postseason. Due to their recent performances, there is no reason for the Blue Jays to sell any of their players.
What Would Force Blue Jays to Sell?
As with any team, there is a scenario in which selling their players makes the most sense. For the Blue Jays, there is a path for Toronto to ship off its assets. Rosenthal doesn’t see the Blue Jays selling, unless something goes drastically wrong.
“I don’t see them selling unless they absolutely fall out of it,” Rosenthal said. “They didn’t want to ever give up on this season. I don’t expect them to give up on this season unless something goes really wrong.”
While the Blue Jays are still within striking distance right now, a bad June and July could lead to them selling their other top trade pieces. Going down such a route seems unlikely, especially after their recent success.
Toronto must fall out of postseason contention to become sellers at the MLB trade deadline. Of the assets Toronto could move, Bichette, in the final year of his deal, is a strong candidate. So is starting pitcher Chris Bassitt, who would also fetch a strong return on the market for Toronto.
The Blue Jays have trade pieces that would fetch a decent price if they fell out of contention. But, in the eyes of Rosenthal and those around the league, they won’t be sellers barring a drastic decline in performance.
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