The Blue Jays remain one of the most intriguing teams to watch before this year's trade deadline and the rumors regarding their plans are plentiful. Their clear need is in the starting rotation and general manager Alex Anthopoulos seems to be narrowing his targets.
Yesterday we wrote about the team's interest in Cincinnati Reds' starter Johnny Cueto and last week we touched upon their scouting of Chicago White Sox right-hander Jeff Samardzija. Athletics' left-hander Scott Kazmir has always been one to consider because of Oakland's situation, but it's still unclear if any of these pitchers will be traded before the deadline.
But we do have further confirmation that the Blue Jays like them.
"The White Sox's Jeff Samardzija, Athletics' Scott Kazmir and Reds' Johnny Cueto and Aroldis Chapman likely are drawing the Jays' interest (though Kazmir left his start in Yankee Stadium on Wednesday night with left triceps tightness)," writes FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal.
But there's more.
"High-ranking officials from the Padres, Marlins, Reds, Phillies and Athletics saw right-hander Jeff Hoffman pitch for the Jays' Single-A Dunedin affiliate, according to major-league sources," Rosenthal added.
This opens the door for potential deals with a number of Padres' starters such as James Shields, Andrew Cashner, Tyson Ross and Ian Kennedy, Marlins' starters Dan Haren and Mat Latos and Phillies' ace Cole Hamels. Anthopoulos told Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca that exploring trades for rental starters is "the last aisle that I'd want to shop in" but "anybody that's going to be out there in trades we're going to have interest in."
Those who can be controlled beyond 2015 include Shields, Cashner, Ross and Hamels. The rest will hit free agency after the season, so it appears the Blue Jays want their investment to be worthwhile and not short-lived.
However, acquiring Shields or Hamels could be difficult because Toronto has a tight payroll situation. Shields is owed $65 million from 2016-2018 and Hamels will earn over $73.5 million over that same span. But if there's a will, there's a way.
"The team is in a more flexible position this season, but still will require cash back in deals, sources say," Rosenthal continued. "Which is why [Daniel] Norris and Hoffman, two of the team's top three prospects entering the season according to Baseball America, could be in play."
There's going to be a number of suitors for Cueto, Hamels, Samardzija and Kazmir, and the Padres' starters will garner a ton of interest if general manager A.J. Preller makes them available. We noted San Diego's potential willingness to sell at the deadline yesterday, but their starting pitchers were not mentioned. Their deadline plans are still a bit murky, but Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune provided some telling insight.
"A franchise in desperate need of stability, San Diego won't undergo a massive shift from the aggressive direction it adopted in the offseason. But even in the absence of a teardown, Preller has full latitude to make moves by the deadline, and judging by his level of offseason activity, the Padres easily could be one of the most active teams before August ... Sources indicate the Padres are prepared to sell and buy simultaneously."
The most valuable assets San Diego possesses are Ross and Cashner (because they can be controlled beyond 2015) as well as outfielder Justin Upton and closer Craig Kimbrel.
"Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos, who has a history of trades involving large numbers of players, could address his team's primary needs by acquiring both Kimbrel and one of the starters," FOX Sports' Jon Morosi added earlier in the week.
However, Kimbrel is owed nearly $30 million through 2017, so the Blue Jays might need financial aid with that contract if the right-hander is indeed on their radar. They've been exploring trades for Phillies' closer Jonathan Papelbon and Brewers' closer Francisco Rodriguez, which suggests Kimbrel could definitely be an option for Anthopoulos.
With about three weeks left until the deadline it appears the Blue Jays may have more options than they previously thought. Anthopoulos will need to get creative, though, if he wants the franchise to snap their 21-year postseason drought.
