The Toronto Blue Jays are making moves in hopes of saving their season.
The team sits in third place in the American League East division with a losing record, even after adding the likes of Andrés Giménez and Anthony Santander in the offseason and locking in slugger Vladimir Guerrero with a $500 million extension shortly after opening day.
The front office is looking to reinforce a starting staff that has the potential to drive a playoff run with a boost. They signed Spencer Turnbull on Monday, but they might need to do more after the latest injury update on Max Scherzer.
“Scherzer has been sidelined since the opening week of the season due to the lingering thumb issue, lasting just three innings (45 pitches) in his lone start for Toronto,” Sportnet reported, as the future Hall of Fame pitcher was placed on the 60-day injured list in a brutal setback to a persistent thumb injury. “The setback is the latest in a slew of injuries for the former three-time Cy Young winner as he made a combined 17 starts in the two seasons prior to signing a one-year deal worth $15.5 million to join the Blue Jays.”
The addition of Turnbull could help. He maintained a 2.65 ERA in seven starts for the Philadelphia Phillies in 2024. But if the Blue Jays want to fortify the likes of José Berríos, Kevin Gausman and Chris Bassett and protect against any additional injuries, they might need to do more.
On Tuesday, Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report suggested the team target a potential surprise trade candidate in Pittsburgh Pirates hurler Mitch Keller.
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“Both Chris Bassitt and Max Scherzer will hit free agency this winter, while Kevin Gausman only has one more year left on his deal,” Miller wrote. “But with so much money already tied up in Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Anthony Santander, Andrés Giménez, José Berríos and more, trading for Keller at a known price point through 2028 almost has to be preferable to another winter of hoping for the best in free agency.”
After signing a five-year, $77 million deal with the Pirates in February 2024, Keller could be a long-term solution alongside Guerrero for the Blue Jays. He’s logged a career 4.58 ERA in seven big-league seasons, but he’s been durable, making at least 31 starts in both of the past two seasons.
As a result, he might make a lot of sense as a fourth option for a Blue Jays rotation that’s looking to turn the season around before it’s too late.
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