Blue Jays Trade Pitch Lands 2.94 ERA Ace to Solve Rotation Issues

Not only have the Toronto Blue Jays put themselves in a position to make the postseason, but this looks like a team with a real opportunity to win the American League East and possibly compete for a World Series out of the American League. 

For that to be a guarantee, or as close to it as it can be, the Blue Jays will have to make the right decisions at the trade deadline. 

There will be some confusion, as many have questioned whether the team will keep Bo Bichette beyond this year. Regardless, the Blue Jays are in a position to win a World Series, and they can’t let that opportunity pass. 

Blue Jays’ Trade Deadline Target

When recently searching for what the Toronto Blue Jays could be looking for at the trade deadline, The Athletic proposed an intriguing trade with the Kansas City Royals for right-hander Seth Lugo. 

Lugo has been one of the more underrated arms in Major League Baseball over the past two seasons and has impressed with his 2.94 ERA this season. 

“Blue Jays trade OF Alan Roden and LHP Adam Macko to Royals for RHP Seth Lugo

“The batted-ball data doesn’t love Lugo, but he’s been quietly strong for a few years now. Since the start of 2023, the righty has a 3.11 ERA in 75 starts. He may not be an electric ace, but Lugo can start a postseason game for the Blue Jays and won’t be as expensive as controllable options like Sandy Alcantara and Mitch Keller.

“Lugo, who’s thrown eight different pitches this year, is likely a rental with a 2026 player option he’s expected to decline this winter. The risk of that $15 million option (which could be realized due to injury) and the $4.8 million still owed to the righty after the deadline should help the deep-pocketed Jays find a deal,” they wrote.

The Blue Jays Should Go All-in

If the Toronto Blue Jays could land a player of Lugo’s caliber, they’d be in a much better position than they currently are. However, Lugo is 35 years old and is set to hit the free agency market at the end of the season with a player option if he decides to go that route. 

The Blue Jays will ultimately have to consider that, but MLB.com has also recently noted that they need to be aggressive buyers at the deadline, so they shouldn’t be too worried about situations like this. 

“If not now, then when? The AL is wide open and the Blue Jays will have every opportunity to win the division, which is a conversation we haven’t had in Toronto in nearly a decade. This lineup is deep, stretching down into Triple-A, so the Blue Jays’ don’t just need to add big leaguers, they need to add star power. Even in the rotation, while some more depth would help, the Blue Jays need to be thinking like World Series contenders here. If they’re looking at a starter at the Trade Deadline, could that pitcher realistically start in the first three games of the ALDS? If not, aim higher,” they wrote.

7-3 over their last 10, it doesn’t look like the Blue Jays will be slowing down anytime soon. For a team that’s clearly a contender, an upcoming series against the New York Yankees will reveal a lot heading into the deadline.

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