As the Toronto Blue Jays look like sellers at the trade deadline, while a handful of players will remain, many could leave. Kevin Gausman, Chris Bassitt, Chad Green, and Yariel Rodríguez have long contracts with the Blue Jays. Bassitt, Gausman, and Green will make just over $10 million in 2025. If the Blue Jays will sell, Yusei Kikuchi and Yimi Garcia will likely be the first to go. After that, it might be Justin Turner and Kevin Kiermaier, as they only signed one-year contracts.
VERY LIKELY TO GO: (Universal Free Agents)
Yimi Garcia
Kevin Kiermaier
Yusei Kikuchi
Trevor Richards
Justin TurnerI would LOVE to hear your thoughts! Any ones you agree/disagree with LET ME KNOW!!
— Sophie S 🏴⚾️🇨🇦 (@SophieShipton_) June 27, 2024
Blue Jays Trade Deadline: Should They Stay or Should They Go?
Likely to Stay
The Blue Jays signed Gausman before the 2022 season to a five-year $100 million contract. Gausman, the Cy Young contender in 2023, is vital to the Blue Jays starting rotation. While he’s had an up-and-down season this year, he started the season on the IL but has had some strong starts, including a start with double-digit strikeouts. Despite some struggles, Gausman will always be one of the Blue Jays’ aces in the rotation. This season, he has recorded a 6-6 record with a 4.26 ERA.
Bassitt signed a three-year, $63,000,000 contract with the Toronto Blue Jays, including a $3 million signing bonus, $63 million guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $21 million. Bassitt is earning a base salary of $21 million this season while carrying a total salary of $22 million. This season, he has a 6-6 record with a 3.45 ERA. Like Gausman, he has had his ups and downs, but in his last four starts, he lowered his ERA. Bassitt has been a workhorse for the Blue Jays and has been able to pitch deep into games. It is always a bonus when your starter can pitch deep into games and give the bullpen some rest.
More Players Likely to Stay
Green has also been a solid reliever for the Blue Jays who has shown consistency. He has also taken on the role as closer as Jordan Romano has been on the IL. The Blue Jays showed trust in reliever Green by signing him to a two-year, $21 million deal in the offseason. His signing extends into the 2025 season with the Blue Jays. Green has sported a 1-1 record with an impressive 1.53 ERA. The first Cuban Blue Jays pitcher, Rodríguez, signed a five-year, $32 million contract with Toronto in the offseason.
His contract includes options and performance bonuses that permit the righty to bank up to $47.5 million as a starter and $37.5 million as a reliever. Rodríguez also had his ups and downs and went on the IL and then had a poor start following his return after the IL. He’s yet to record a win this season despite having some strong performances on the mound. But he couldn’t earn wins in some of his starts because he was limited to pitching so many innings.
Likely to Go
While Garcia is one of the Blue Jays’ best relievers, he is likely one of the first players to go because he is an upcoming free agent. As the Blue Jays look like sellers at the trade deadline, if they decide to trade him, Garcia is a valuable hot item that could be traded, and the Blue Jays could get something worthwhile in return for him. Kikuchi is also likely to go, as he is a pending free agent. Kikuchi has gone through some struggles this season with a 4-7 record and a 4.00 ERA. Next on the list to go would be Turner and Kiermaier.
Both signed one-year contracts with the Blue Jays, and both are up there in age. The Blue Jays would benefit from having fresher, younger power bats in the lineup. While Turner started the season strong, he’s had his struggles as well as Kiermaier. The Blue Jays haven’t utilized the speed that Kiermaier has, and while he’s had a respectable career, the Blue Jays need power bats. There were hesitations with the Turner signing due to his age, and while he is a veteran, it would make more sense to have a young, revamped bat in the lineup.
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