The Blue Jays are expected to be clear sellers as next week’s trade deadline approaches, with most attention focused on their rental players available for trade. Yusei Kikuchi, Yimi Garcia, Trevor Richards, and Danny Jansen, all of whom are set to become free agents after this season, are potential trade candidates. According to Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith, Toronto is maintaining its goal to be competitive in 2025, so they haven’t explored trading Chris Bassitt (under contract through 2025) or Kevin Gausman (through 2026). Both are anticipated to stay, alongside Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette, who are under club control until 2025.
It’s somewhat surprising that Toronto hasn’t more actively considered trading Bassitt. Despite being in the second year of a three-year, $63 million deal and performing reasonably well, Bassitt is 35 and will be 36 next year. Typically, teams view the later years of a multi-year contract as a cost of doing business. With limited pitching depth, Toronto would need to find a replacement for Bassitt through free agency or trade. Trading him could free up next year’s $21 million salary for a younger pitcher and potentially bring in some young talent.
As of Thursday, Bassitt had a 3.71 ERA with a 21.3% strikeout rate, a 9.3% walk rate, and a 41.2% grounder rate, having made 20 starts and pitched 114 innings. While he remains an above-average starter, some teams might view this as an opportunity to acquire young talent, clear payroll, and reinvest the salary elsewhere.
Gausman’s situation is similar, but his trade might be more complex. At 33, with two years remaining and in the midst of a down season, Gausman’s trade value might be less straightforward. His average fastball velocity has dropped, and his strikeout and walk rates have worsened compared to previous years. His average exit velocity and barrel rate are also career lows, and he has a 1.30 HR/9 rate, his highest since 2019. Gausman is earning $24 million this season and $23 million in each of the next two years, with $54 million still owed by the trade deadline.
Reliever Chad Green, also signed through 2025, is another potential trade piece. MLB.com’s Jon Morosi suggests the Yankees might be interested in reacquiring Green due to his low ERA and past popularity in New York. However, given Green’s age (he’ll be 34 next May), declining strikeout rate, and high hard-hit rate, combined with the Yankees’ luxury tax situation, it’s unlikely they’d pursue a reunion without significant financial concessions from the Blue Jays.
