Several Major League Baseball teams have a lot to play for over the next two months, but the Toronto Blue Jays might be at the top of the list.
After selling at the trade deadline last season, the Blue Jays wanted desperately to get back to the playoffs in 2025. But there is certainly a scenario in which they'll be forced to sell again.
Because they have some high-priced impending free agents on their books, the Blue Jays would have the market at their mercy if they chose to sell. General manager Ross Atkins and manager John Schneider may resist doing so at all costs, though, because they know their jobs are on the line this season.
So while it's far too early to predict that the 28-28 Blue Jays will sell, the clubs that know they'll be buyers can start combing Toronto's roster in case some of their stars become available.
On Friday, Bleacher Report's Kerry Miller named starting pitcher Chris Bassitt as one of a handful of Blue Jays players who could be on the move. "Stay tuned" was Miller's refrain for Toronto.
Miller listed the Blue Jays among a group of "eight other middling teams who could make things mighty interesting by making some of their impending free agents available to the highest bidders."
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"Can't imagine any of them would be selling if the deadline were today, but plenty of time for that pendulum to swing," Miller wrote.
Bassitt, 36, is in the final year of a three-year, $63 million contract. He was once an All-Star, back in 2021 with the Oakland Athletics, and he's having his best year since that season, pitching to a 3.38 ERA and 3.24 FIP through 61 1/3 innings.
The market for Bassitt would be deep, but the Blue Jays wouldn't want to sell him unless things got much worse in the standings. At it stands, they're only 2 1/2 games out of playoff position, which means they fully see themselves as playoff hopefuls.
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