The Toronto Blue Jays need an infielder, and although they have been linked to free agents, Toronto could explore the trade market.
MLB analyst Garrett Kerman of ClutchPoints shared a trade idea that sees the Blue Jays acquiring Jazz Chisholm Jr. from the New York Yankees in a stunning move.
Blue Jays acquire:
Yankees acquire:
- 2B/3B Ernie Clement
- OF Joey Loperfido
- LHP Ricky Tiedemann
At first glance, this seems like a massive overpay for the Blue Jays, as Clement is a key infielder and can fill Chisholm’s role just fine. Joey Loperfido, meanwhile, doesn’t have a path to a roster spot, while Tiedemann is a former top prospect who could serve as an impact pitcher out of the bullpen in the majors as soon as this year.
Toronto would acquire Chisholm, who’s in the final year of club control, so an extension would likely have to be part of it. His name has come up in trade rumors and would be Toronto’s starting second baseman, which would shift Andres Gimenez to shortstop and Addison Barger to third base. Chisholm hit .242 with 31 home runs and 80 RBIs last season.
In return, the Blue Jays would give up Clement, who was a star hitter for Toronto down the stretch and in the playoffs. He’s well-liked in the clubhouse, as he hit .277 with 9 home runs and 50 RBIs during the season.
Lopefido, meanwhile, is likely a fourth outfielder in the MLB who doesn’t have a clear path to playing time with the Blue Jays.
Tiedemann, meanwhile, is a 6-foot-4 left-hander who’s a former top prospect. He has dealt with injuries that will likely shift his future as a reliever.
Analyst Explains Blue Jays-Yankees Swap
The deal would be a blockbuster and one that the Yankees would likely accept instantly.
Toronto, however, would seem hesitant to accept the trade, but Kerman believes the trade is about raising the ceiling, even though they trade with their arch-rival in the Yankees.
“For Toronto, this move is about acquiring a ceiling-raiser,” Kerman wrote. “While Ernie Clement developed into a fan favorite and a reliable .277 hitter in 2025, and Joey Loperfido showed flashes of brilliance in his first full season with the club, neither possesses the MVP-caliber upside of Chisholm. The Blue Jays’ lineup has often felt one-dimensional—reliant on station-to-station power.
“Chisholm disrupts that dynamic entirely. His ability to play both second base and center field gives manager John Schneider incredible lineup flexibility, but it is his left-handed power bat at Rogers Centre that makes this truly enticing.”
Chisholm would likely become a fan-favorite in Toronto, and his bat is better than Clement’s. Meanwhile, the trade could also open the gates for the Blue Jays to sign Kyle Tucker.
Toronto Knows They Have to be Better
Blue Jays CEO and President Mark Shapiro knows Toronto has been active this offseason, but he believes there is more work to do.
Shapiro knows the AL East is tough to win, so he believes the team still needs to get better.
“My philosophy on free agents is there is no such thing as close,” Shapiro said on MLB Network Radio on Sunday. “You either are done, or you are not done; there is nothing in between. We are still working to get better. This is the bottom line: our division is an absolute beast.
“You can talk about what I’ve experienced in 34 years, almost 35 in the game, and one thing that is clear to me is there is nothing like the AL East. … The bottom line, to answer your question, we need to get better.”
Toronto has added Dylan Cease, Cody Ponce, and Tyler Rogers this offseason.
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