8 Big-Name Trade Candidates Who Would Fit on the Blue Jays

This offseason will not be typical. With a lockout looming, teams may hesitate to make big-money free-agent deals. So teams could choose to pursue top players from Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball league, low-dollar free-agent acquisitions, or trades early on. 

Even if teams want to make big moves, this year’s offensive free agent class is weak. Seiya Suzuki and Randy Arozarena lead the class, with Ian Happ, Brandon Lowe, Jake Bauers, and Luis Arraez as consolation pieces. These hitters don’t spark much excitement for teams looking to drastically improve their offensive production, like the Toronto Blue Jays. This past season, Toronto finished last in home runs and runs and 25th in on-base percentage among MLB teams, which they can't repeat. 

However, before they start looking at free agents or trades, they need to make a few in-house decisions. Can Anthony Santander and/or Addison Barger stay healthy and bounce back from poor performances? Are the Blue Jays content with another season with Andrés Giménez and Ernie Clement handling the middle infield? Some players are due for arbitration raises, so would it be better to non-tender them?

Once those decisions are made, several players are already being rumored as trade candidates. Let’s see how they’d fit onto the Blue Jays roster.

Infield Trade Candidates

CJ Abrams, SS/2B - Washington Nationals

CJ Abrams is an ideal target for Toronto and arguably the top bat likely available for trade this offseason. He’d bring power to a lineup that desperately needs it, after hitting 33 home runs in 2026. He also slashed .261/.336/.497 with 93 runs and 106 RBIs. The Blue Jays would get a boost on the basepaths, too, after finishing 27th in stolen bases this season. Abrams swiped 30 or more bases in each of the last four seasons, including 47 in 2023.

The middle infielder has a few flaws, though. His strikeout rate was the highest of his five-year career (24.7 percent) in 2026. This rate was nearly five percentage points higher than last season. It was also higher than the Blue Jays' strikeout rate this season (19 percent), which was the second-lowest rate among MLB teams. 

Abrams also struggled with his glove at shortstop. He posted a .961 fielding percentage over 511 chances this season and a -17 outs above average. The OAA tied him for last place among shortstops, a drastic difference from Giménez’s 19 OAA and second-place rank. However, Abrams was much better in a slim number of games at second base, posting a 1.000 fielding percentage over 38 chances. He wants to play shortstop, but the Nationals may look into moving him to the outfield, which could make him available for trade. 

The Blue Jays would gladly accept the weaker-defense trade-off for more power and speed. Abrams could play shortstop, and the Jays could move Giménez to second and non-tender Clement. Clement’s bat and defense were liabilities in the second half of the season, so replacing him with Abrams is a positive switch. 

The downside is that the Nationals’ middle infielder has two years of team control remaining and is projected to earn $10.2 million in arbitration next season (per MLB Trade Rumors). So, they’ll be asking for a high price for their talented 26-year-old. My prediction this offseason is that the Blue Jays will acquire their big bat via trade, using a top pitching prospect, such as Nolan Perry and Ricky Tiedemann, as their best trade chip. This trade could fully validate my prediction depending on what Toronto gives up.

Zach Neto, SS - Los Angeles Angels

Zach Neto is close to Abrams in overall production, but he has worse contact rates and strikes out more. This season, Neto slashed .239/.330/.436, with 27 runs, 102 runs, 77 RBIs, and 24 stolen bases, but he also had a 30.5% strikeout rate. The strikeout rate was nearly six percentage points higher than Abrams's. 

However, Neto is slightly better defensively, though it’s not great. He posted a .968 fielding percentage over 557 chances this season and had a -8 OAA, ranking sixth-last among shortstops. Neto is projected to make slightly less than Abrams in arbitration at $9.8 million, but he has three more years of team control. That means that the Angels’ shortstop will cost more prospects to acquire. That may not be a price the Blue Jays want to pay, but the offensive boost would be significant. 

Jeremy Peña, SS - Houston Astros 

Jeremy Peña is entering his final arbitration year before he’s expected to sign a long-term contract worth around $200 million. That makes it the perfect time for the Astros to maximize their return on the shortstop, who is projected to earn upwards of $13 million this season. 

Offensively in 2026, he tied his career high in home runs (22) despite missing 51 games due to multiple injuries. However, defensively, he took a step backwards, posting a .966 fielding percentage, his second-lowest rate over his five-year career, with 13 errors on 387 chances. 

Peña would likely cost a top prospect due to being an All-Star-caliber player, but the package wouldn't be as hefty as it would be to acquire Abrams or Neto. Peña could be a viable one-year rental, giving Toronto another season to develop their No. 2 prospect, JoJo Parker (according to Jays Centre’s rankings).

Francisco Lindor, SS - New York Mets

This one will hurt the wallet. Francisco Lindor is due to make roughly $32 million each season through 2031. $5 million of his salary is deferred each year and will be paid out over the 10 years after his contract ends. How much money the Blue Jays take on will determine the prospect package they send to the Mets, although it'll cost top prospects either way. 

Toronto also needs to decide whether Lindor’s down season in 2026 was a fluke or his age is catching up. He had his worst offensive season since 2021 and his worst defensive output in 11 seasons. The struggles could also stem from a calf injury he suffered in April that forced him to miss two months. It was only the second time in his career that he failed to play at least 125 games in a season, excluding the shortened 2020 season. 

If healthy, Lindor is one of the league's best shortstops. The Mets have Jefferson Rojas, their No. 1 prospect, in Triple-A Syracuse, waiting for a call-up, which could give the team a reason to let Lindor go for the right price. He’d be a massive boost to the Blue Jays lineup, but it would come at a high cost, both financially and by stripping the farm system of top prospects.

Outfield Trade Candidates

Jarren Duran, OF - Boston Red Sox

The Red Sox have an outfield depth issue, but it’s a good thing. They have too many bodies for four positions, with Jarren Duran, Wilyer Abreu, Roman Anthony, Ceddanne Rafaela, and Masataka Yoshida competing to fill the outfield and the designated hitter role. Whoever is the odd man out is wasting millions of dollars on the bench.

Duran is the ideal trade candidate for Boston, turning 30 and with two seasons of team control remaining. He’s set to make around $11 million this season. However, the Red Sox outfielder is coming off the worst offensive output of his six-year career. His 20 home runs were one short of his career high, but his .207/.266/.361 slash line was among his worst.

The Blue Jays would need to take a similar approach to what they would use with Lindor. They need to decide whether Duran’s down season was a fluke or a sign of what’s to come. With uncertainty about whether Santander and Barger can stay healthy or return to their productive form, Duran could be a nice addition for the Blue Jays. He'd likely come at a discount compared to other trade candidates on this list, given his regression in 2026.

Despite his down season, his 20 home runs, 66 runs, and 69 RBIs would have been good enough to finish in the top three among Blue Jays hitters this past season. So his output and MLB experience would help, especially if Brett Bateman can’t repeat his rookie form.

Steven Kwan, OF - Cleveland Guardians

Trading for Steven Kwan offers nearly the same benefits as adding Duran, except for the lack of a power boost. Kwan brings an excellent contact bat at the top of the lineup and a superb outfield glove. He’s never finished below 3.0 fWAR over his five-year career, making him a valuable addition.

Kwan enters his final arbitration year, with an estimated $11.3 million salary. For this reason, he will be a popular name on the rumor mill unless the Guardians sign him to a multi-year extension. Kwan doesn’t necessarily offer more production than Bateman or Nathan Lukes could produce, but if either of them struggles, or Santander and Barger aren’t themselves, Kwan would be a reliable bat-and-glove option. This makes Kwan a valuable one-year rental.

Pitcher Trade Candidates

Logan Gilbert, SP - Seattle Mariners

Wow, what a starting rotation the Blue Jays would have with Logan Gilbert, adding to a group that includes Dylan Cease, José Soriano, Trey Yesavage, and Cody Ponce. The team would instantly become a strong contender for the AL East and the World Series. 

Gilbert will be discussed as a trade candidate because he’s projected to make $15.4 million in his final arbitration year, and the Mariners have Bryan Woo, Bryce Miller, George Kirby, and Emerson Hancock returning to the rotation. Plus, highly-touted prospects Kade Anderson and Ryan Sloan are waiting to step up. Anderson did make seven starts this season that were a roller coaster in 2026, but he looked promising. They also have Cooper Criswell (who only threw 40 2/3 innings this past season due to a shoulder injury) healthy and ready for next season.

Realistically, the Blue Jays don’t need to spend what it’ll take to add Gilbert. They already have four high-quality starters, so they don’t need a fifth of Gilbert’s caliber, but it is fun to dream about. If Perry or Tiedemann survive the offseason without being traded, one of them could be ready to fill the role. The Jays also have Spencer Arrighetti, who is arbitration-eligible, and other rookies who have shown promise. José Berríos and Bowden Francis are also expected to recover from Tommy John surgeries, but their returns won't come until mid-to-late next season. 

Reid Detmers, SP - Los Angeles Angels

I predicted Reid Detmers would be a target for the Blue Jays at this season’s trade deadline, but he didn't get dealt. He will once again be a popular name on the rumor mill. He’s predicted to make $7.5 million in his third arbitration year next season. He also has one more arbitration year before he becomes a free agent after the 2028 campaign. 

Detmers is coming off a stellar season returning to the starting rotation. He posted a 3.35 ERA with 211 strikeouts over 185 innings. With his outstanding season and two years of team control, the lefty will come at a hefty cost. This would be another situation where the Blue Jays would need to deal top prospects. 

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