Upgrades on way? Blue Jays watching, waiting

BOSTON -- There's a different kind of uncertainty inside the Blue Jays' clubhouse as Thursday's 4 p.m. ET non-waiver Trade Deadline rapidly approaches.

In years past, players often wondered if some of their teammates would be traded to a contender. This year, everyone is waiting to see if general manager Alex Anthopoulos will make a move to increase the club's chances in the American League East.

Blue Jays manager John Gibbons has remained in constant communication with his boss throughout the past couple of weeks. Gibbons obviously won't address whether he thinks Anthopoulos will make a big move, but they've had a lot of internal debates about the roster.

"I've been talking to him at least once every day," Gibbons said. "He might bounce some things off me about what could happen. Then roster moves, when [Danny] Valencia comes in and that kind of thing. There's a lot going on out there.

"We have good debates about who can do what -- how I look at it, and how he looks at it. If it's a chance to upgrade, you know."

Toronto made its first move on Monday night, when Anthopoulos traded catcher Erik Kratz and right-hander Liam Hendriks to the Royals for infielder Valencia. It's a relatively minor move in the grand scheme of things but does provide some additional depth on the bench.

The rumor that received a lot of attention on Tuesday was a report from CSN New England that Toronto is the most aggressive suitor for Boston's Jon Lester. That seems unlikely, because the Blue Jays don't appear to have a lot of available funds and also would be very hesitant to part with top prospects Daniel Norris and Dalton Pompey.