7 players Toronto Blue Jays should target with the lockout over
Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Sean Manaea (55) reacts to being pulled: Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports
Do the Toronto Blue Jays still have interest in Tyler Mahle or Sean Manaea as trade targets?
If the Blue Jays are not comfortable in the possibility of Nate Pearson or Ross Stripling in the rotation, the trade market might be the ideal way to find some help.
Sean Manaea is certainly an intriguing name considering he is in the final year of arbitration and we know the Oakland Athletics have struggled to keep top players around.
There is no question about his reliability as a starter as he has pitched 727 innings over 129 games. Last season he had a 3.91 ERA over 179.1 innings and it would be helpful to have another lefty in the rotation.
It was reported by TSN’s Scott Mitchell that Toronto was very interested in trading for Cincinnati Reds starter Mahle. The 27-year-old might not be a household name but he would bring exactly what the team could use in the rotation as a durable pitcher that won’t cost a lot in terms of payroll but won’t easy to pry away from Cincinnati.
Toronto Blue Jays should look into Andrew Chafin for help in the bullpen
If the Blue Jays needed a lefty arm for the bullpen, Andrew Chafin could be a player to have in leverage situations. He might not be the best reliever out there with Kenley Jansen also available but had a strong year in 2021.
He started the season with the Chicago Cubs then was dealt to the Oakland Athletics finishing the season with a 1.83 ERA through 68.2 innings of work. This is someone not unfamiliar with a tough workload as he is the only pitcher to appear in 70 or more games in each of the last four seasons according to MLB.com.
Considering how heavily the Blue Jays have used their relievers, Chafin would be a nice option in the seventh or eighth inning.
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Who do you think the Blue Jays should target with the lockout now over? Which area of the roster should be a priority? Let us know in the comment below.