The Toronto Blue Jays entered the 2022 MLB season as a dark-horse World Series contender. They were the favorite to win the division at +170. The Blue Jays held World Series odds of +950, making them a pre-season favorite.
Since then, the season has gone well but not exactly as expected for Canada's team. The Blue Jays are in the thick of the playoff race and currently hold the first wild card spot in the AL but are 11.0 games behind the New York Yankees in the division.
Toronto boasts one of baseball's best offenses with Vlad Guerrero Jr. and Matt Chapman raking consistently. The Blue Jays also have a solid pitching core headlined by Alek Manoah and Kevin Gausman. They have the pieces to make a World Series push, but they wanted to add more at the MLB trade deadline.
Toronto's deadline acquisitions ended up being a mixed bag. Adding Anthony Bass and Zach Pop gives a much-needed boost to the bullpen, and it didn't cost much to do so. However, one decision the Blue Jays made is one of the most confusing of the entire trade deadline.
Blue Jays' Biggest MLB Trade Deadline Surprise
Acquiring Whit Merrifield
The Blue Jays' decision to acquire Whit Merrifield from the Kansas City Royals was a stunner from all angles. The 33-year-old Merrifield definitely had some solid seasons in the past, especially given his defensive versatility. However, the ex-Royal is beginning to show signs of decline.
Merrifield is in the middle of the worst offensive season of his career. In 95 games with Kansas City, he posted a .240 batting average, a .290 on-base percentage and a .352 slugging percentage. He also had a WAR (wins above replacement) of -0.2, down from 3.5 in 2021.
Merrifield is also a righty, which the Blue Jays have plenty of. Guerrero, Chapman and George Springer, Toronto's three best power hitters, all bat right-handed. The Blue Jays should have looked for a lefty to add to their lineup, but instead chose to add another righty as a luxury.
What Toronto gave up in the deal also raises some eyebrows. The Blue Jays sent the Royals two players for Merrifield: Samad Taylor and Max Castillo. Both are solid players that could come back to haunt Toronto in the future.
Taylor, a 24-year-old infielder, was the Blue Jays No. 16 prospect on MLB.com prior to the trade. His best trait is his speed, as he has 136 stolen bases in his minor league career. Castillo, a 23-year-old pitcher, put up a solid 3.05 ERA in nine appearances with Toronto this season.
Even with all of the negatives so far, one aspect of this trade makes it one of the most baffling in recent memory. Canada requires athletes to be vaccinated, and Merrifield isn't. Until he gets the vaccine, he can only play in road games for the Blue Jays.
Toronto manager John Schneider said the team won't require Merrifield to receive the vaccine. The Blue Jays obviously considered his vaccination status ahead of time, as he couldn't play against them when the Royals visited in July. However, that only makes the decision to acquire him even more confusing.
This trade isn't confusing because Whit Merrifield is a bad player but because he's such a strange fit in Toronto. The Blue Jays gave up significant assets for a player who is redundant in their lineup and, at the moment, can only play in half of their games. The team should have gone in a different direction for the trade deadline.
Follow Us
Subscribe