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The All-Star break is just a week away for the Toronto Blue Jays, and the team is flying high. The Blue Jays have reeled off an eight-game winning streak — including all seven games in a homestand for just the second time in team history — and they have moved into first place over the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays.
The Blue Jays have been playing sensational offensive baseball and manager John Schneider should be confident that his team is in an excellent position to win the American League East or certainly come through with one of the American League Wild Card positions.
However, Schneider and general manager Ross Atkins have plenty of experience and both realize that the 162-game season will reveal the truth about every baseball team. No team is as good as it looks when it is in the middle of an impressive winning streak, and the Blue Jays are no exception.
While they appear to be a solid offensive team with athleticism that often plays impressive defense, it is not a perfect team. The Blue Jays could use some help on the mound, particularly among their starters.
If the Blue Jays want to hold off the other teams in the American League East — and don't count out the suddenly hot Boston Red Sox — the Blue Jays could add to their pitching staff.
They might want to see if they can work out a deal with a pitching-rich team like the Milwaukee Brewers. Milwaukee pitcher Freddy Peralta might slot into the Blue Jays pitching rotation.
Starting rotation could use some help
Jose Berrios is Toronto's best starting pitcher and he has been solid for Schneider to this point in the season. However, he cannot be compared to Tarik Skubal of the Detroit Tigers, Max Fried of the Yankees or Garrett Crochet of the Red Sox.
Schneider is not worried or concerned about Berrios because he has been quite solid, but he is not a dominant pitcher.
Berrios has a 4-3 record with a 3.64 earned run average. He has struck out 92 batters in 106.1 innings. He is not going to blow away many hitters with his fastball, but he regularly has good command of his pitches.
Chris Bassitt has been the No. 2 starter on the Blue Jays staff. He has an 8-4 record with a 4.32 ERA. Both Berrios and Bassitt have started 18 games for the Blue Jays this season.
Bassitt has struck out 102 batters in 100.0 innings, but he has allowed 111 hits and 12 home runs. Hitters have shown they can figure out Bassitt and he could be vulnerable in the second half of the season.
The same holds for fellow starters Kevin Gausman and Bowden Brancis. Gausman has started 17 games for the Blue Jays and has a 6-6 record with a 4.18 ERA while Francis is just 2-8 during his 14 starts. His 6.05 ERA demonstrates that opposing hitters have shown they can get the best of him on a regular basis.
If the Blue Jays could work a trade for Peralta, it might be just the kind of move that could help them win the division title.
Peralta has won double-digit games in each of the past two seasons, and he has an excellent 9-4 record to this point in the 2025 season. He has a 2.91 ERA with 104 strikeouts in 99.0 innings. He has given up just 73 hits in his 18 starts and he has earned a spot on the National League All-Star team.
If the Blue Jayus could land Peralta, he would give them a strong 1-2 punch on the mound with Berrios. Bassitt is 36 years old and he could have a hard time sustaining his success in the final weeks of the season.
Peralta's presence would give the Blue Jays a much more formidable pitching staff and give them a better chance of delivering late-season success to their supporters.
