The Toronto Blue Jays filled a need in the infield, acquiring Paul DeJong in a trade with the St. Louis Cardinals. Currently, the Blue Jays hold a 2 1/2 game lead for the final American League wild card. They’ve already been active at the deadline, making a separate deal with the Cardinals for reliever Jordan Hicks.
OFFICIAL: We’ve acquired INF Paul DeJong and cash considerations from the Cardinals in exchange for Minor League RHP Matt Svanson.
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— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) August 1, 2023
Toronto entered the season expecting to compete for an AL East title but has been outraced by the Tampa Bay Rays and Baltimore Orioles. With Bo Bichette’s leg injury recently, the team needs depth in the middle infield. For the Cardinals, this is another piece in their rebuild following a disappointing season. At 47-60, St. Louis decided to sell off their assets to rebuild their pitching infrastructure.
Blue Jays Add Infield Depth
Following their shortstop’s injury, the Blue Jays needed a middle infielder to supplement their roster. Paul DeJong is their answer for now. He’s performed almost exactly as his career numbers suggest, hitting .233 this season with 13 home runs. He’s an adequate defender at shortstop but has not been able to take hold of the starting role in his time in St. Louis. As a placeholder shortstop, he projects to be a utility piece for the Jays once Bichette recovers. For the Jays, the deal was to strengthen the team’s floor, but this trade does not extend Toronto’s ceiling.
Cardinals Acquire Pitching Prospect
In exchange for DeJong, the Cardinals received Double-A reliever Matt Svanson. Svanson is 4-1 this season with a 1.11 ERA and six saves. He brings a high strikeout rate without a prohibitive walk rate and has been consistently effective in his minor league career. He was not ranked in the Blue Jays’ top 30 prospects. For the Cardinals, this addresses their goal of gaining pitching prospects in exchange for their major league pieces at the deadline. Despite a solid offensive lineup, their pitching staff is the primary reason for their record this season. In short, another Blue Jays trade was a move that could be made, and gaining a potential bullpen piece for the future was worth the effort.
Impact on the MLB Postseason
The latest Cardinals-Blue Jays trade will likely have minimal impact on the postseason picture. DeJong is not likely to change the course of Toronto’s season and won’t be a regular starter when Bichette returns. The Cardinals are ten games out of a wild-card spot and have sold most of their significant pieces in the lineup. Ultimately, this is a minor deadline deal that addresses small-scale needs. However, the value will strengthen an AL playoff contender, which makes the trade significant.
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