Despite their recent 21-10 run that has them just one game back in the American League East, the Toronto Blue Jays’ starting rotation continues to be a point of weakness.
The Blue Jays entered the season hoping to lean on the trio of Jose Berrios, Kevin Gausman and Chris Bassitt, but while Berrios has been his usual dependable self with a 3.26 ERA, both Gausman and Bassitt have posted the worst numbers of their tenure with the club. Bassitt’s troubles in particular are cause for concern, as the 36-year-old has posted a 5.45 ERA over his last 13 starts, including allowing nine runs in two innings against the Boston Red Sox last Saturday. Throw in the fact that 2024 standout Bowden Francis has crashed down to earth and free-agent acquisition Max Scherzer has made just three mediocre starts and it’s no wonder why the Blue Jays rank 26th in rotation ERA.
With a lineup clicking on all cylinders and a deep and versatile bullpen, the Jays can focus their deadline attention on upgrading their rotation, and ESPN’s David Schoenfield believes they can find a match in Kansas City Royals right-hander Seth Lugo.
“(The Blue Jays) did just get Max Scherzer back, but there's no way of knowing what he'll bring, plus Chris Bassitt and Scherzer will be free agents -- so they'll be looking for pitching help in the offseason anyway,” Schoenfield wrote. “Lugo's contract is a more attractive option than gambling on a high-level free agent, even if it costs a team some good prospects.”
The 35-year-old Lugo is in the midst of his second straight remarkable campaign, as he has followed up his Cy Young Award runner-up season with a 2.74 ERA that ranks eighth in the American League. There are some questions about how he would perform outside cavernous Kaufmann Stadium, as his 4.18 FIP and 4.61 xERA indicate some good fortune, but he is still well worth the $15 million he is owed over the next two years. With Gausman and Berrios manning the front of the rotation, Lugo and his 10-pitch mix can be the perfect veteran addition to aid the Blue Jays in their postseason push.
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