The Blue Jays are dealing with a rotation that’s been decimated by injuries through the first month, and it’s forcing them to consider some aggressive moves at the trade deadline.
Cody Ponce is done for the year after tearing his ACL in his first start. Trey Yesavage just made his season debut Tuesday following a right shoulder impingement that required a rehab stint at Triple-A Buffalo.
That’s not even the worst of it.
Right-handers Shane Bieber and Jose Berrios haven’t returned from the injured list yet. Then there’s Max Scherzer, who’s dealing with right forearm tendinitis and left ankle inflammation.
With Dylan Cease and Kevin Gausman carrying the load up front, Toronto needs help. That’s where the Angels come in.
The Soriano Solution
FanSided’s Mark Powell suggests the Blue Jays should call Los Angeles about Jose Soriano, who happens to be leading MLB with a 0.84 ERA through seven starts.
“Assuming the Angels are out of the AL West race by early August, expect Soriano’s name to at least be floated in trade chatter. If the Angels are serious about moving him, they’ll have no shortage of suitors.”
Soriano’s breakout looks legitimate too. The numbers aren’t fluky.
Powell makes a solid point about Toronto’s rotation depth. While they’ve got talent with Cease, Yesavage, and Gausman, none have been as dominant as Soriano this season. The Jays are sitting at a 4.21 team ERA so far.
That’s not going to cut it.
The Cost of Doing Business
Acquiring Soriano won’t come cheap, and Toronto won’t be the only team calling. But when your rotation is this banged up and you’re trying to compete in the AL East, it’s the kind of move you have to consider.
The Blue Jays need to make a decision about whether they’re buyers or sellers this summer. With injuries piling up like this, staying competitive might require getting creative at the deadline.
All things considered, Soriano represents exactly the type of impact arm that could stabilize things. The question is whether the Angels will actually make him available and what it’ll cost to pry him away.
