The Toronto Blue Jays have put themselves in an extremely advantageous position at the trade deadline.
Entering the All-Star break, the 55-41 Blue Jays hold a two-game lead in the American League East. The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox are nipping at their heels, but Toronto has to be thrilled with where they stand based on preseason expectations.
To keep themselves at the top of the heap, the Blue Jays would be wise to boost their starting rotation with one more veteran. Granted, they'll also need more from their existing starters, like Kevin Gausman (4.19 ERA) and Chris Bassitt (4.12).
Would a journeyman from the lowly Chicago White Sox be the surprise shot in the arm the Blue Jays' rotation needs?
In a recent YouTube video, Jim Riley of BALLCAP Sports predicted that the Blue Jays would acquire Adrian Houser, the ninth-year White Sox starter pitching for his sixth organization, in a trade deadline deal.
"The Jays have gone up against Houser twice in the last two or three weeks during their hot stretch, and the one fricking guy that's been able to cool the bats is Adrian Houser," Riley said.
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"He's brought himself to the Blue Jays, performing at a tremendous level, going up against a team that is scoring runs... Doing it right in front of their front office. You don't think Ross (Atkins) and Mark (Shapiro) have taken note of that?"
Houser somehow has a 1.56 ERA in nine starts at the major league level this season, racking up 2.9 bWAR, which is more than anyone on the Toronto pitching staff. In two starts against the Blue Jays, he went 13 1/3 innings and allowed just three earned runs on 14 hits.
While it's certainly a risk to bring in a 32-year-old with a spotty track record, especially if the Blue Jays have to give up prospects of any significant value, this deal would have a chance to pay major dividends.
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