There aren't many players available in trade talks who could provide a bigger spark to a team than Ketel Marte. The Toronto Blue Jays, with the potential loss of Bo Bichette on the horizon, have shown interest in the Arizona Diamondbacks star.
Plenty of other teams are also showing interest, and the New York Yankees have been one of those teams. However, a new report drastically shifts the market, and in a great way for the Blue Jays.
According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the no-trade list for Marte, which includes five teams, was revealed. Not only are the Blue Jays not on it, but the Yankees are. Toronto now has a massive advantage over the Yankees in the Marte sweepstakes.
Blue Jays have major advantage over Yankees in Ketel Marte trade talks
"Marte has a five-team no-trade list," Rosenthal writes, "the Athletics, New York Yankees, Pittsburgh Pirates, Giants and Cardinals, according to people briefed on his contract."
With Marte holding the ability to nix any trade to the Yankees, but not the Blue Jays, there is a significant difference between the two teams' respective odds of making this trade.
Marte cannot veto a trade to the Blue Jays, and with Toronto potentially interested in the superstar second baseman coming off an.893 OPS season in 2025, they will have a much easier time trading for him than the Yankees.
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While the Blue Jays might not strongly pursue Marte if they bring back Bichette or sign Kyle Tucker to a long-term deal, the Blue Jays still aren't in the worst spot when it comes to the Marte sweepstakes.
Ketel Marte is under contract through 2030 on a $105 million deal and is a very affordable player to acquire in a trade.
The Blue Jays' acquiring Marte would make a lot of sense, and based on this report from Rosenthal, they won't have to contend with the Yankees in potential trade talks with the Diamondbacks.
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