If the Toronto Blue Jays were aiming to address their anemic offense as the MLB trade deadline came to a close, that objective seemed to be entirely overlooked in the deals they made. That is not to suggest the club failed to receive a respectable return in at least two of its moves.
After unloading perennial ace Kevin Gausman to the Cubs for prospects Brett Bateman and Ty Southisene, the Blue Jays initially appeared to have come out on the short end of the deal. Collectively, Bateman and Southisene, the Cubs’ number 21 and number 13 prospects, have combined for just six home runs in more than 1,500 minor league at bats. Southisene, it should be noted, has yet to hit a home run in professional baseball at any level.
That leaves Blue Jays fans questioning the direction of the scouting department, along with team President Mark Shapiro and General Manager Ross Atkins, who ultimately have the final say on these trades.
Can The Blue Jays Win With Zero Offensive Additions at Deadline?
Then came a jolt of excitement with the acquisition of one of the American League’s most dominant starting pitchers this season in Jose Soriano. The cost, however, appears significant. Arjun Nimmala, one of the organization’s most promising homegrown prospects, was sent to Anaheim, taking with him the potential to become a power hitting shortstop for years to come.
Meanwhile, two expiring contracts, George Springer and Shane Bieber, appear destined to remain through the end of the season as Toronto attempts one final push toward a Wild Card berth. Gone as well are starting center fielder Daulton Varsho and former closer Jeff Hoffman.
The most notable immediate return from those moves, outside of an intriguing group of young prospects, is dependable twenty six year old starter Spencer Arrighetti. Acquired in exchange for Varsho, Arrighetti should fit seamlessly into the back end of Toronto’s rotation.
Overall, the Blue Jays acquired legitimate assets that should strengthen the starting rotation while easing the burden on an overworked bullpen. Their greatest weakness, though, remains unchanged. Offensive production is every bit as glaring now as it was before the deadline.
When compared with the rest of the American League East, Toronto appears to have fallen further behind.
That is not to suggest players such as Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Kazuma Okamoto, and Jesus Sanchez are incapable of turning things around. They certainly are. But a closer look at what the rest of the division accomplished suggests the playoffs could slip away quickly if the Blue Jays continue to struggle at the plate.
