All thirty teams, including the Toronto Blue Jays, are likely to pursue Tarik Skubal if he lands on the market. However, if the Blue Jays cannot secure the reigning Cy Young champion, then a former winner can be their next best bet. Toronto would need a reliable arm in its injury-plagued rotation to keep the Blue Jays’ World Series hopes alive. An MLB insider has suggested that the Blue Jays acquire Sandy Alcantara while trading away their $110 million ace, Kevin Gausman.

With the August 3 trade deadline approaching fast, MLB general managers are already keeping their eyes set on their top targets. According to Jeff Passan of ESPN, to reinforce their rotation, the Blue Jays should acquire Sandy Alcantara from the Miami Marlins. However, Passan also turned Gausman’s future with the organization uncertain by suggesting a trade.

“Decimated by injuries, they find themselves as a very weird tweener: talented enough to consider going out and getting rotation help, average enough so far that sending away an impending free agent such as Gausman is not entirely far-fetched,” wrote Passan.

The Blue Jays (29-33) are four games behind .500 and are hovering around the last Wild Card spot. However, their struggles are not due to Gausman, who has pitched fairly well. Gausman posted a 3.36 ERA with a 4-4 record across 75 innings so far. He recorded his thirteenth start against the Atlanta Braves, taking the loss on Tuesday. The ace struck out eight Atlanta hitters but gave up four runs on five hits, including a homer.

However, Passan pointed out that Gausman being in the final year of his 5-year, $110 million contract will be the driving factor behind the probable trade. Signed before the 2022 season, Gausman would become a free agent by the end of the season. Hence, trading him now can be beneficial for the Blue Jays.

But for a deep postseason run, the Blue Jays will also need another arm in their rotation, alongside Dylan Cease, Shane Bieber, and Max Scherzer, when they return. While Cody Ponce has suffered through a season-ending ACL tear, the other three starters are currently rehabbing. They have recently acquired starter Simeon Wood Richardson, but adding Alcantara would be a major boost.

The Blue Jays have made big mid-season trades for starting pitchers in the past as well. They did so when they traded for José Berríos in 2021. Adding another big arm fits their pattern perfectly.

“They’re the sort of team capable of making up significant-enough ground over the next two months not only to put themselves among the acquirers but to throw their hat in the ring for Skubal or Peralta,” opined Passan, per ESPN. “They’re not there yet, either, which is why Alcántara — who could replace Gausman in the rotation if he leaves in free agency this winter — makes sense.”

Acquiring a surgery-returned Skubal has its own risks. He might not immediately gain back his Cy Young form or could re-injure himself. The Blue Jays cannot deal with another injury. Furthermore, both he and Freddy Peralta are set to become unrestricted free agents after this season, similar to Gausman. But in the case of Sandy Alcantara, his 5-year, $56 million contract has a $21 million club option in 2027. The Blue Jays have the opportunity to keep Alcantara for the next season.

This season, Alcantara has struggled on the mound, especially in May, posting a 7.39 ERA and two losses. However, his earlier starts have shown signs of his Cy Young form. Against the Chicago White Sox on April 1, Alcantara threw a complete game. He remained scoreless throughout the 93 pitches he threw.

He had another quality start in May against the Tampa Bay Rays. Across six innings, he struck out 6 while allowing one run on seven hits and no walks. Furthermore, Alcantara has been mostly healthy, except when he underwent Tommy John surgery in 2023 due to a UCL strain. He missed the entire 2024 season. So, despite recording a 4.59 ERA this season, Alcantara can anchor a recovering rotation.

In their latest move, the Blue Jays have announced a bullpen shakeup.

Toronto Blue Jays release Tanner Andrews

Before their series finale with the Atlanta Braves, the Blue Jays needed to make room in their 40-man roster. The 30-year-old Tanner Andrews took the fall to bring up Chad Dallas from Triple-A Buffalo.

The Blue Jays brought up Tanner Andrews from the minors in May this year. In his two outings, the reliever has posted a perfect 0.00 ERA. He threw a hitless inning in his first outing against the Marlins, and followed it up with a one-hit, 2 innings in his next. His designation for assignment comes due to no fault of his own.

Alongside calling up Chad Dallas (4.50 ERA), the Blue Jays have also optioned Hayden Juengar to Triple-A. In his two major league outings for the Blue Jays, Juenger has been expensive. His demotion comes after he posted a 13.50 ERA in two innings while giving up 3 earned runs on 2 hits.

Being only 1.5 games away from a Wild Card spot, the Blue Jays still have time to recover and make a postseason run. And to pull off a comeback, Sandy Alcantara can become a reliable addition as their healed stars, including Alejandro Kirk, return to the roster.