3 key questions for Blue Jays at Trade Deadline

This story was excerpted from Keegan Matheson’s Blue Jays Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

BOSTON -- Parts of this Trade Deadline could be simple for the Blue Jays. Barring a winning streak that takes them right up to Aug. 3, they’ll be the classic definition of a seller.

This means veterans on expiring contracts, like Kevin Gausman, George Springer and Shane Bieber, are easy trade candidates. Perhaps even Max Scherzer gets a shot somewhere else, especially if he can put up a solid big league outing coming off five no-hit innings in his last Triple-A rehab appearance.

Other parts of this could be more complex. Toronto will receive interest in players with club control remaining beyond 2026 -- someone like Jeff Hoffman -- and this front office could also look to “buy” long-term pieces to fill this rotation and outfield in ‘27 and ‘28.

Beyond the obvious, these are some of the more complicated questions the Blue Jays will be facing:

1. What role will money play at the Trade Deadline?

This is the big one.

The Blue Jays could have the opportunity to flex their financial muscle in a way few other organizations can, which could turn some low-end trades into something bigger. Keep in mind that, with just under one-third of the season remaining, all players traded will still have just under one-third of their 2026 salary remaining.

This is most important when it comes to Gausman and Springer. When the deadline hits at 6 p.m. ET on Aug. 3, the round numbers to remember are that Gausman will have close to $7 million left on his deal and Springer will have just over $7 million. To a lesser extent, this will be a factor if Daulton Varsho or Bieber are dealt, too.

If a contender is taking on Gausman or Springer along with their remaining salary, the prospect return for the Blue Jays will look underwhelming at first glance. Toronto can include cash considerations, though, eating any amount of salary to improve the return package.

In the simplest terms, contending teams will be telling the Blue Jays: If we take on the full salary, we’ll give you a lower-ranker prospect. If you eat a few million bucks, we’ll give you a much better one.

This will be more pronounced, too, if Toronto is dealing with a smaller-market team more conscious of payroll. Teams like the Dodgers, Yankees, Phillies and Braves are better positioned to eat salary and keep their own prospects, but if the Blue Jays are in talks with a low-payroll club, that could be a major opportunity to use their biggest strength -- money -- to win the Deadline.

2. Is Varsho a qualifying offer candidate?

Thirteen players were tendered a qualifying offer last offseason, a one-year, $22.025 million deal which only four accepted: the Brewers’ Brandon Woodruff, the Cubs’ Shota Imanaga, the Tigers’ Gleyber Torres and the Yankees’ Trent Grisham.

When players decline that offer and sign elsewhere (like Dylan Cease did), their original team receives a compensatory Draft pick.

Varsho came into the season with the potential to become one of the top position players on this offseason’s free-agent market, but that hasn’t happened. Instead, the 30-year-old looks more like a candidate for a short-term deal to reset his value, which brings the qualifying offer into play. Even if that number is slightly above $22.025 million this winter, would the Blue Jays consider it? That would essentially put him on Andrés Giménez’s salary, another glove-first player who Toronto is trying to get more offensive value from.

If that’s being considered, there’s an argument to hold Varsho. If not, he’s a clear trade candidate.

3. Would they consider picking up Straw’s 2027 option?

Myles Straw has an $8 million team option for ‘27 with a $1.75 million buyout. While he’s beloved in the clubhouse, a great defender and valuable on the bases, his .576 OPS makes it a tough call for what is essentially a $6.25 million decision.

Option 1: The Blue Jays, facing uncertainty in center in ‘27, hold Straw as a potential fourth or fifth outfielder, leaving them a decision on his team option down the road.

Option 2: If Toronto is already leaning “no” on that option, then Straw could become another trade candidate. Remember, last postseason, Straw appeared in 15 games, but he only started one of them. There would be a team out there in need of that same, late-game option on the bases and in the outfield.