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The Toronto Blue Jays have been one of baseball’s most pleasant surprises this season, and they are actively seeking reinforcements.
According to MLB insider Bob Nightengale, the Blue Jays could aggressively pursue Arizona Diamondbacks starter Zac Gallen ahead of this month’s trade deadline.
“GMs believe that the Toronto Blue Jays could be as aggressive as any team in baseball at the deadline, believing this could be their best chance to return to the World Series since 1993,” Nightengale wrote. “The Blue Jays are looking for a front-line pitcher, and have shown interest in Gallen.”
Gallen is set to become a free agent at the end of the year, and could help bolster a Toronto rotation that has not been elite through the first half of the season. The Blue Jays’ starters have earned a 4.56 ERA while their bullpen has posted a more respectable 3.59 ERA.
While Gallen has struggled this season, a change of scenery could work wonders. Across his first 20 starts, the 29-year-old has gone 7-10 with a 5.40 ERA. According to Baseball Savant, he ranks in the 29th percentile in xBA and the eighth percentile in Barrel%.
He has not resembled his 2023 All-star form, but there will undoubtedly be a number of clubs who will not be scared off by his most recent numbers. Gallen’s track record and pitch mix are both impressive enough to entice suitors who are in Postseason contention.
Toronto currency holds the top spot in the American League East. After going 16-10 in June, and starting July with a 9-2 record, the Blue Jays feel as though they have a gritty team that could turn heads down the stretch.
Offensively, the Blue Jays do not hit many home runs. But, they are towards the top of the league in terms of OBP, hits, and doubles. Such a style is unorthodox in today’s era, and could benefit from a stronger rotation.
“We go out there and compete, give all we have every single night,” Blue Jays slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. told MLB.com recently. “When you have that as a team, good things happen.”
Toronto is not a dominant club, but they have continued to grind out wins and make the case that they deserve deadline additions.
