{"id":2015,"date":"2026-08-04T10:54:00","date_gmt":"2026-08-04T16:54:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.tooniebet.ca\/ca\/?p=2015"},"modified":"2026-08-04T10:54:02","modified_gmt":"2026-08-04T16:54:02","slug":"blue-jays-trade-deadline","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.tooniebet.ca\/ca\/sports-betting-and-news\/blue-jays-trade-deadline\/","title":{"rendered":"During a lost season, the Blue Jays trade deadline was a win"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s never a good sign when the trade deadline is the high point of your season. Especially when it includes moving a fan-favourite, workhorse starter and your No. 2 prospect. Or when a veteran pitcher on an expiring contract everyone thought would go stays put, then proceeds to throw 5.2 innings of one-run ball against a division leader. Or when a 36-year-old post-season batting hero also on an expiring deal sticks as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">None of that is good when you&#8217;re 4.5 games out of a playoff spot with five teams to pass.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But that&#8217;s the Blue Jays following Monday\u2019s trade deadline.\u00a0<strong>Kevin Gausman<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0<strong>Arjun Nimmala<\/strong>\u00a0are gone.\u00a0<strong>Shane Bieber<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0<strong>George Springer<\/strong>\u00a0remain (as does\u00a0<strong>Max Scherzer<\/strong>). Also out the door are\u00a0<strong>Daulton Varsho<\/strong>\u00a0(who went 1-for-4 against his former team Monday night) and (mercifully for him)\u00a0<strong>Jeff Hoffman<\/strong>, plus a few other farmhands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe felt that because we have so much support here, it wasn&#8217;t necessary that we trade them,\u201d GM Ross Atkins said about Scherzer, Springer and Bieber after the deadline expired. \u201cThere was benefit to us continuing to compete, benefit to individuals like Max and George and Shane being here to impact others individually and impact us winning baseball games.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Who\u2019s in and who\u2019s out<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-x wp-block-embed-x\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Blue Jays trade deadline <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/q0oQbxIIVS\">pic.twitter.com\/q0oQbxIIVS<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Blake Murphy (@BlakeMurphyODC) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/BlakeMurphyODC\/status\/2084400081210413418?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">August 3, 2026<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.x.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Why the deadline was the high point of the season is first and foremost because Toronto has underperformed to date, but also because of the additions Atkins made even without moving the three big-name vets. In are 10 new players, including starters\u00a0<strong>Jose Soriano<\/strong>,\u00a0<strong>Spencer Arrighetti<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0<strong>Jameson Taillon<\/strong>, plus utility man\u00a0<strong>Josh Smith<\/strong>\u00a0and prospects, including four who drop into the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mlb.com\/bluejays\/news\/blue-jays-updated-prospect-rankings-after-2026-trade-deadline?t=mlb-pipeline-coverage\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">organization\u2019s Top 25<\/a>, according to MLB Pipeline\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Soriano is the A+ acquisition (and the one who cost Nimmala and two other prospects); he\u2019d be a No. 1 on many teams and slides into the No. 2 spot for the Jay behind Cy Young candidate&nbsp;<strong>Dylan Cease<\/strong>. Soriano\u2019s fastball averages 96.7 and pairs with a sinker, curveball, splitter and occasional slider to induce a 52.3% groundball rate and 31.4% whiff rate. He\u2019s 27 and is under team control for the next two seasons.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"751\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.tooniebet.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Jose-Soriano-2026-MLB-Percentile-Rankings-751x1024.webp\" alt=\"Blue Jays trade deadline acquisition Jose Soriano has some elite MLB rankings this year.\" class=\"wp-image-2018\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.tooniebet.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Jose-Soriano-2026-MLB-Percentile-Rankings-751x1024.webp 751w, https:\/\/blog.tooniebet.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Jose-Soriano-2026-MLB-Percentile-Rankings-220x300.webp 220w, https:\/\/blog.tooniebet.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Jose-Soriano-2026-MLB-Percentile-Rankings-768x1047.webp 768w, https:\/\/blog.tooniebet.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Jose-Soriano-2026-MLB-Percentile-Rankings.webp 826w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 751px) 100vw, 751px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Arrighetti, 26, was the return for Varsho \u2014 and is something of a coup for Atkins. As Jays Sportsnet insider&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sportsnet.ca\/mlb\/article\/breaking-down-what-blue-jays-get-in-every-trade-deadline-deal\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Shi Davidi wrote<\/a>, \u201cstarters of his ilk are hard to acquire, especially for two months of Varsho.\u201d He\u2019s under control until 2030 with options and profiles as a back-of-the-rotation starter with upside for next season. He started this season with ace-like numbers, going 7-1 with a 1.34 ERA in April and May before hitters figured him out and is currently on the IL with nerve irritation in his foot.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Taillon and Smith are wildcards, or maybe reclamation projects. They\u2019ve both shown promise in the past, with the former adding rotation depth now and the latter being the likeliest to stick around beyond this season. Smith can play a number of positions and has posted 700+ OPS numbers the past two seasons, winning the Utility Silver Slugger Award in 2024. But he\u2019s a negative WAR player so far this season with an OPS of just .571.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Blue Jays futures<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td>To win the AL East<\/td><td>+29900<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>To win the World Series<\/td><td>+12400<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Cease to win AL Cy Young<\/td><td>+110<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right has-small-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">*Odds subject to change<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What the additions mean for 2027<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For a team that doesn\u2019t expect to be in this position next season, the Blue Jays trade deadline can only be called a success. With Soriano and Arrighetti in the mix, Toronto&#8217;s 2027 rotation looks like Cease, Soriano,\u00a0<strong>Trey Yesavage<\/strong>\u00a0and some combo of Arrighetti and the currently injured\u00a0<strong>Jose Berrios<\/strong>,\u00a0<strong>Cody Ponce<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0<strong>Bowden Francis<\/strong>\u00a0next season. Plus whomever else Atkins pursues in free agency. That\u2019s not a bad place to begin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Assuming a\u00a0<strong>Vladimir Guerrero Jr.<\/strong>\u00a0rebound, good health for\u00a0<strong>Alejandro Kirk<\/strong>, similar seasons from\u00a0<strong>Kazuma Okamoto<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0<strong>Ernie Clement<\/strong>, the return of\u00a0<strong>Addison Barger<\/strong>, and some additions around the diamond, the Jays just can get back to postseason contention. That\u2019s the company line for sure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The winter will prove important for Atkins. There are some intriguing&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.spotrac.com\/mlb\/free-agents\/available\/_\/year\/2027\/level\/mlb\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">free-agent possibilities<\/a>&nbsp;for a team that needs impact outfielders and another big bat (plus you can never have enough good pitching). But there\u2019s really nowhere to go than up from here in what can only be called a lost season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to bet on MLB<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/tooniebet.ca\/ca\/login\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Log in<\/a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/tooniebet.ca\/ca\/registration\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">register<\/a>&nbsp;at ToonieBet<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Navigate to the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/tooniebet.ca\/ca\/sport\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">sportsbook<\/a>&nbsp;&gt; baseball.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Bet on games, player props, build SGPs, or bet live.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to live bet MLB<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Navigate to the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/tooniebet.ca\/ca\/live-betting\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">live sports page<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Follow the game trackers for real-time odds and stats.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Interested in betting on MLB, but not sure where to start?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This article&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tooniebet.ca\/ca\/sports-betting-and-news\/how-does-sports-betting-work\/\">walks you through the sportsbook<\/a>, explaining odds, terms, bet types, tactics and more. Consider it your sports betting limeup card.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Feature image courtesy AP Photo\/Morry Gash via Canadian Press Images.<br>Statistics via\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/baseball-reference.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">baseball-reference.com<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/baseballsavant.mlb.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">baseballsavant.mlb.com<\/a>.\u00a0<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">The content is provided for general informational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute betting advice, financial advice, or a recommendation to place any wager. Odds are subject to change. Sports wagering involves risk, and there is no guarantee of success or profit. For Ontario residents, participation in regulated online gaming is restricted to individuals 19 years of age or older. Please play responsibly. If gambling is no longer fun or may be causing harm, support is available through recognized gambling resources like&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/connexontario.ca\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">ConnexOntario<\/a>. Terms and conditions apply where applicable.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It\u2019s never a good sign when the trade deadline is the high point of your season. Especially when it includes moving a fan-favourite, workhorse starter and your No. 2 prospect. Or when a veteran pitcher on an expiring contract everyone thought would go stays put, then proceeds to throw 5.2 innings of one-run ball against [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":2019,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[95,64],"tags":[102,96],"class_list":["post-2015","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-baseball","category-sports-betting-and-news","tag-baseball","tag-mlb"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.tooniebet.ca\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2015","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.tooniebet.ca\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.tooniebet.ca\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tooniebet.ca\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tooniebet.ca\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2015"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tooniebet.ca\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2015\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2020,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tooniebet.ca\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2015\/revisions\/2020"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tooniebet.ca\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2019"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.tooniebet.ca\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2015"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tooniebet.ca\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2015"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tooniebet.ca\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2015"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}