Jesse Burrill

The Toronto Blue Jays have claimed right-handed pitcher Paul Sewald, who was designated for assignment by the Diamondbacks earlier in the week. Sewald, a veteran of 10 MLB seasons, has a 6.23 ERA this season. He has 110 major league saves in his career. The righty will join a Blue Jays bullpen that has thrown more innings as a unit than any team in baseball since August 1 and is in need of reinforcements. Sewald is primarily a fastball-slider pitcher. He had a 3.18 ERA entering June 23rd but has allowed 17 earned runs in 14 innings since then. He now gives John Schneider another veteran option with major league experience in the back end of the bullpen.

Dylan Cease isn’t pitching like Dylan Cease. Cease is arguably having the best season of his career. A 2.28 ERA, an absurd 36.4% strikeout rate, and an elite 4.7 fWAR all rank him at the top of the American League. But as the season has gone on, he’s been doing things slightly differently than what the Blue Jays saw from him earlier in the year. Historically, Cease has overwhelmed hitters with a high-90s fastball and one of the game's nastiest sliders, using the combination to generate elite swing-and-miss numbers. While that's still a crucial part of his game plan, the Blue Jays have seen a very different pitcher over the last few starts. First, let's revisit his recent start at the end of July in Boston. Cease was incredible on this day. He threw a complete game shutout, allowing just one hit and three walks, throwing a season-high 120 pitches and dominating Red Sox hitters all afternoon. By Baseball Reference Game Score, it was the sixth-best start in Blue Jays franchise history. Early on in that start, Cease was raising eyebrows, but for a different reason. His velocity had dropped suddenly. His four-seam fastball, which usually sits at 97 mph in the first inning, was down to just 93.7 mph, which was by far the lowest he’s averaged in the first inning this season. In fact, that's the lowest his first-inning four-seam velocity has been in any start of his career. A sudden drop in velocity can be a warning sign of injury or fatigue, so seeing Cease sit that low raised alarm bells, but those concerns were quickly dispelled. Cease’s fastball velocity returned, and he hit as high as 98.5 in the ninth inning. Post-game, Cease himself said, “People usually start to panic because that is definitely abnormal. But nothing really hurt. It’s just my body was really not wanting to cooperate, and that’s baseball.” The important takeaway is that Cease did not think the velocity drop was injury-related. Crisis averted, at least for the time being. But it has become a trend. In the two starts following his outing in Boston, his first-inning velocity remained below his season norm: The velocity drop isn’t the only way Cease has looked different recently. He also hasn't been able to generate as many swings and misses as the year has gone on. His whiff rate has been below his 2026 average (34.9%) in five of his last six starts, reaching a season-low 22.7% in his latest outing: Decreased velocity and diminished swing-and-miss rates are likely related. However, none of this necessarily means Cease is becoming a worse pitcher. Pitching is much more complicated than just throwing the ball hard and inducing swings and misses. Since the All-Star break, he’s posted a 1.29 ERA in four starts despite his average four-seam velocity dropping 1.2 mph and his swinging strike rate falling 1.2 percentage points. If anything, you could argue he’s looked like an even better pitcher. So what exactly is going on here? If injuries are not a concern, there are a few possible explanations; workload management could be one of them. Kevin Gausman had stretches of play where his fastball velocity dropped early in starts, and Justin Verlander famously had similar stretches where he’d have diminished velocity early before ramping back up later in starts. So, the idea of a veteran starter sacrificing early velocity to preserve stuff later in games isn’t unprecedented. Cease is one of only five pitchers since the start of 2021 to throw more than 1,000 innings. John Schneider recently mentioned the Jays would be moving to a six-man rotation, with the intention of getting Cease more rest. Now, with injuries to Trey Yesavage, Jameson Taillon, and Spencer Arrighetti, moving to a six-man rotation seems unlikely. There is also the consideration that the Blue Jays are trying to get Cease to pitch deeper into games. Earlier in the season, Cease was effective, but he was battling high pitch counts, which forced him out of games early. He only made it through six innings once in his first six starts. The problem was never that Cease couldn’t get outs; it was that it was taking him too many pitches to get them: Stat First Six Starts May 1-July 24 July 25- Present ERA 2.87 2.59 0.41 IP/Start 5.2 IP 6.1 IP 7.1 IP Pitches/IP 19.21 16.64 14.55 Avg Four-Seam Velo 97.8 mph 97.5 mph 96.0 mph K-BB% 23.2% 27.0% 28.2% SwStr% 16.1% 14.1% 14.1% Lately, that hasn’t been an issue. He’s shown a willingness to trade some velocity and swing-and-miss for efficiency. His average four-seam velocity has fallen 1.8 mph from his first six starts, while his innings per start have increased from 5.2 to 7.1. The results have been longer outings, fewer innings for his bullpen to cover, and no meaningful decline in his run prevention. The Blue Jays are 8-3 in the 11 starts in which he's thrown six or more innings, compared to 5-5 when he hasn't reached that mark, and he hasn’t thrown fewer than six innings in a start since June. That's where Cease’s evolution becomes particularly interesting. It's not just helping the Blue Jays win games; it's strengthening his case in the AL Cy Young race. As of now, Cease is in a neck-and-neck race with Cam Schlittler of the Yankees. Schlittler has had an incredible season in his own right, but if you look at the two side by side, it becomes clear just how close the race is: Looking at the stats, the two pitchers compare closely across several categories. Cease has an advantage in strikeouts, bWAR, and FIP, suggesting that on a rate and performance basis, he has been the more dominant pitcher when they’ve both been on the mound. Schlittler has the advantage in starts and innings pitched (Cease spent time on the 15-day IL earlier in the year), and the fact that the Yankees are likely headed to the playoffs while the Jays are on the outside looking in may matter to voters. Going forward, if Cease can continue to pitch at this level and continue to be durable and go deep into his starts, then he has a legitimate chance to pull away from Schlittler in the final weeks of the season. This is what makes Cease so dangerous. He hasn’t lost the ability to overpower hitters; he’s simply proving that he doesn’t need to do it on every pitch. If opposing hitters begin sitting on his softer fastballs early in games, then Cease can still reach back for 99 mph or throw the wipeout slider. If he can continue to do that while pitching deeper into games, the Blue Jays will be getting something even more valuable than the ace they signed. They have a pitcher who has found another way to dominate. And the American League should take notice.

The Toronto Blue Jays have made their first major deadline move, sending veteran starter Kevin Gausman to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for outfielder Brett Bateman and infielder Ty Southisene. The move gives the Cubs additional rotation help for their stretch run, and for the Blue Jays, it’s a sign that they will likely be moving away from expiring contracts as they look to re-tool their roster for 2027. Gausman joined the Blue Jays on a five-year deal ahead of the 2022 season and arguably became one of the best free-agent signings in franchise history. He finishes his Blue Jays tenure with a 3.62 ERA, 12.8 bWAR, and 861 innings pitched across five seasons. Among pitchers in franchise history, Gausman ranks seventh in ERA, second in WHIP, ninth in starts, third in FIP, and first in strikeout-to-walk ratio. He was a cornerstone of the Blue Jays' rotation throughout its recent competitive window and was a key contributor through the 2025 World Series run. While the Blue Jays entered the season with expectations of competing for another postseason berth, the team severely underperformed. The Blue Jays currently find themselves in last place in the AL East, and with five teams separating them from the final American League Wild Card spot, the organization decided it was time to capitalize on its expiring contracts. With Gausman set to hit free agency at the end of the season, the Blue Jays opted to maximize his trade value rather than risk losing him for only draft pick compensation. In return for Gausman, the Blue Jays acquired two players who add depth and upside to their farm system. First, outfielder Brett Bateman is a 24-year-old left-handed hitter who was ranked 21st in the Cubs system by MLB Pipeline. Through 81 games in Triple-A, Bateman hit .312/.431/.422 with a 126 wRC+. While a .392 BAPIP helped boost those numbers, Bateman has consistently shown strong contact skills, posting just a 5.0 swinging-strike rate. That ability to control the strike zone is something the Blue Jays have prioritized in recent years. Bateman’s biggest limitation is his power, as he has hit just three home runs this season and is unlikely to ever develop into a middle-of-the-order bat. However, his best tools are his speed and defense, with MLB Pipeline grading his running ability at 70 and his work in center field as above average. That profile likely appealed to the Blue Jays, especially with Daulton Varsho and Myles Straw also on expiring contracts, and both could be moved before the deadline as well. With Ty Southisene, the Blue Jays are acquiring a 5-foot-7, 21-year-old infielder who shares some similarities to Bateman. Splitting time between two levels of the Cubs system, Southisene hit .311/.431/.378 with a 126 wRC+, showcasing the same type of contact-oriented offensive profile the Blue Jays have acquired and targeted in recent years. He consistently puts the ball in play, posting an 82.7% conctact rate, but power remains the biggest question mark in his game, as he has yet to hit a home run through his first two professional seasons. MLB Pipeline noted that Southisene hits the ball on the ground frequently and has struggled against offspeed pitches, areas the Blue Jays will need to help him improve in if he’s ever going to hit his offensive ceiling. However, his speed and defensive ability give him a strong foundation, with second base likely being his long-term position. The Gausman trade is likely the first of what could be a busy deadline period for the Blue Jays. With the team officially showing a willingness to move expiring contracts, attention will now turn towards which other veterans could be moved next. George Springer and Daulton Varsho could draw interest from teams looking to add experience for a postseason run, while players such as Max Scherzer and Shane Bieber could appeal to contenders looking for rotation help. However, the Blue Jays are unlikely to completely tear down their roster. With the acquisition of Jameson Taillon earlier in the day, the Blue Jays have shown it is still willing to add players to the roster as they look to compete again in 2027.. The Gausman era in Toronto is officially over, but his impact on the organization and the community will not be forgotten. Since arriving ahead of the 2022 season, he became much more than just a front-line starter for the team. He delivered countless memorable pitching performances and served as the anchor of the rotation during one of the most important stretches in franchise history. Off the field, Gausman embraced the city, his teammates, and the responsibility that came with being one of the faces of the franchise. While his time in Toronto has come to an end, Kevin Gausman will forever be remembered as one of the defining players in this chapter of Blue Jays baseball.

The MLB Draft has come and gone, as has the Futures Game, and while the MLB trade deadline is the biggest talking point this time of year, there are some notable prospects that have found themselves making noise across the Blue Jays system. The Blue Jays seem likely to add to their farm system over the coming days, and those players will join a list of players who have seen their stock rise over the past month. Here are the candidates for the Blue Jays Minor League Hitters of the Month for July. Honorable Mentions Sebastian Casanova - Dominican Summer League - 18 GP, .483/.557/.439, wRC+, 14.1 K%, 14.1 BB% Welcome to organized baseball, Casanova. The 5-foot-9, 167 lb shortstop has been thoroughly enjoying his first season in organized baseball. The 17-year-old was signed as an international free agent out of Venezuela and has immediately hit the ground running, literally. He stole seven bases in the month and has 19 in his 37 games on the season. On top of that, he’s been raking at the plate, as his 189 wRC+ led the system this month. Pair that with a 30.6% line drive rate, a minuscule 6.0% swinging strike rate, and the fact he’s walking just as much as he’s striking out, and you can see why the Blue Jays like him. It’s going to be a long journey for a player so young, but he looks like one of the best returns from the Blue Jays international free agent class so far. JoJo Parker - Single-A Dunedin - 18 GP, .222/.345/.375, 96 wRC+, 25.3 K%, 12.6 BB% Parker got off to a slow start in July, collecting just five hits in his first 42 plate appearances, but he’s turned a corner since then. He recently had his first multi-home run game of the season, as well as his first triple of the season. He’s still putting the ball on the ground too frequently (60.8 GB% in July), but he’s showing why evaluators believe in the hit tool. Plus, he was able to turn around a 101 mph fastball in the Futures Game this month, which is impressive in its own right: No. 3 Arjun Nimmala Double-A New Hampshire - 15 GP, .255/.354/.545, 132 wRC+, 26.2 K%, 10.8 BB% Arjun Nimmala began the month on the injured list with a hamstring strain, which keeps him from being higher on this list. But he’s picked up right where he left off. Nimmala has continued to tap into his power with four home runs in 15 games, and the contact rate (73.9%) is an improvement on what he posted in his first season in the organization. On top of that, there are positive reports about his work at shortstop. You can see why he’s ranked inside the top 100 of every major prospect list and number three on the Jays Centre list. No. 2 Davis Schneider Triple-A Buffalo - 15 GP, .293/.469/.660, 189 wRC+, 25.0 K%, 21.9 BB% Davis Schneider was sent down to Buffalo at the end of June after posting a .578 OPS in 118 plate appearances on the season. The Blue Jays wanted to see him rediscover his offensive game, and he certainly did that while in Buffalo. His five home runs and 1.128 OPS led all Blue Jays minor leaguers in July. The Blue Jays had seen enough and recalled him to Toronto on July 23. Since his recall, he’s gone 1-for-11 with a double and three walks, so he’s still going to need to put it together in the major leagues, but he has nothing left to prove in the minors. No. 1 Josh Kasevich Triple-A Buffalo - 20 GP, .408/.511/.539, 188 wRC+, 9.0 K%, 13.0 BB% Josh Kasevich entered July with just three home runs and a 96 wRC+, but he has caught fire over the month's final weeks. Reaching base in more than half of his plate appearances is remarkable, but that’s exactly what Kasevich has done in July. He’s reached base in all but two games during the month. He’s also walked more than he’s struck out while posting a minuscule 4.0 SwStr%. Kasevich had a great spring training and was a candidate to make his big league debut this season. Now that his bat has heated up, it shouldn’t be a surprise if he sees time in Toronto later this summer.

There is always one question every selling team asks itself at the trade deadline: How can they get back the best prospect package? Sometimes the biggest advantage in trade negotiations isn’t the players being moved, it's the money that can be attached to a deal. As the Blue Jays look more and more like sellers, that financial flexibility could become one of Ross Atkins’ biggest trade assets. Atkins has shown a willingness to take on money in previous trades. If he’s willing to do it again, one club stands out as a particularly intriguing trade partner, and that's the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Jays and Pirates have had a consistent trade relationship in recent years. Pirates GM Ben Cherington previously worked with Ross Atkins as the Blue Jays' vice president of baseball operations from 2016-2019 before leaving for Pittsburgh. Most recently, the teams linked up in a three-team trade with Cleveland that sent Andrés Giménez to the Blue Jays and Spencer Horwitz to the Pirates. Back in 2024, the last time the Jays sold at the deadline, they traded Isiah Kiner-Falefa to Pittsburgh for Charles McAdoo. Recently, Bob Nightengale reported that the Pirates are planning to be aggressive at the deadline as long as it doesn’t increase the payroll. For the Blue Jays, this could be music to their ears. Imagine two clubs offer a similar prospect package for Daulton Varsho. The difference is that one team asks Toronto to cover the remainder of his salary while the other doesn’t. If the Blue Jays are willing to absorb the money, they're no longer trading just Varsho; they’re trading Varsho and payroll relief. That gives the team another bargaining chip, and it’s reasonable to expect a better prospect in return because they’re providing more value to the acquiring team. Pittsburgh is in a precarious position. As of Sunday evening, they have a 54-52 record and find themselves just one game out of a playoff spot. The Pirates haven’t made the postseason since 2015, and with Paul Skenes still in his pre-arbitration years, their competitive window is wide open. The time to make a push is right now. The team does have some areas of need, particularly in the bullpen. As a unit, their bullpen has a 4.50 ERA, and that number jumps to 8.70 in high-leverage situations, so an improvement there is paramount. The Pirates could also use an improvement defensively in center field. Oneil Cruz is great with the bat, but the numbers (-9 defensive runs saved) and the eye test leave you wanting more. Fortunately for the Blue Jays, they have players who fit those needs almost perfectly. Varsho is on an expiring contract, and the Blue Jays will likely look to trade him at the deadline. Myles Straw fits the mold, too. Both players have a history of playing exceptional center field defense, and Varsho also offers some left-handed power. In the bullpen, Jeff Hoffman carries a 4.30 ERA, but the strikeout rate, FIP, and underlying stats remain in line with some of the best of his career. Game 7 of the World Series aside, he also has a proven postseason track record. None of these players would lack suitors. Contenders consistently pay a premium for impact relievers and elite defensive center fielders. If the Jays are going to maximize their return, they shouldn’t just be shopping their players; they should be shopping payroll flexibility as well. Taking on money shouldn’t scare Toronto. The Blue Jays already carry one of baseball’s highest payrolls, and even after selling off at the deadline, they’re unlikely to fall below the luxury tax threshold. If absorbing an additional $5 million is the difference between landing a 40 FV prospect and a 45 FV prospect, then that’s an investment worth making for a club focused on 2027 and beyond. The Pirates could also move on from an expensive contract that the Blue Jays could take on. In their rotation, Skenes, Jared Jones, Bubba Chandler, and Braxton Ashcraft are all under control, with additional pitching on the way. Because of that, Mitch Keller and his $39 million remaining on his contract in 2027 and '28 could be expendable. Keller wouldn’t be the centrepiece of the deal. Instead, his contract could serve as the financial leverage that allows the Jays to demand an even stronger prospect package. One player who doesn’t fit the obvious trade candidate mold is Louis Varland. Trading one of the best relievers in baseball with multiple years of control would be unpopular, but that's exactly why his value is so high. Deadline history shows controllable elite relievers can command franchise-altering returns. If the Pirates view themselves as a legitimate postseason team, then Varland is exactly the kind of arm worth paying a premium for. With the prospect package the Pirates could offer, the Jays should at least pick up the phone. Every extra dollar the Blue Jays are willing to absorb could translate into a better prospect this deadline. The Pirates may not be the only club that fits that equation, but this trade match is a great example of how money can serve as a prospect-acquisition tool. If Ross Atkins and company are serious about maximizing every trade, their payroll shouldn’t just be a budget; it should be another asset in trade talks.

Daulton Varsho may be the toughest decision the Blue Jays have to make at this year's trade deadline. The Blue Jays have underperformed expectations, and with the trade deadline fast approaching, moving expiring contracts is becoming a more realistic possibility by the day. Varsho is set to become a free agent after the season, making him one of the team's most intriguing trade chips. Just one season ago, Varsho looked like he’d unlocked another level offensively, hitting 21 home runs in just 71 games, despite dealing with injuries throughout the year. This season, his power has disappeared, his defensive metrics have taken a step back, and the Blue Jays have to decide whether they're looking at a temporary down year or a player in decline. To understand why this decision is so complicated, it's worth looking at how Varsho got to this point. Earlier this season, Varsho’s offensive approach looked noticeably different. He traded some of his fast swings for more contact, and while the adjustment has helped him strike out less and walk more than he did a year ago, the power has largely disappeared. The result has been a 91 wRC+ and a below-league-average offensive season. Considering Varsho was expected to be a middle-of-the-order contributor, that’s been one of the reasons the Blue Jays' offense has struggled. Then there’s the question of the defence. Varsho had been well known as one of the best defensive outfielders in the league (which is thoroughly impressive for a player who came up as a catcher). From 2022-25, according to Fielding Run Value, Varsho was the best defensive outfielder in baseball, and it wasn’t particularly close: But even that number has taken a dramatic step back in 2026. He’s currently tied for 26th out of all outfielders with an FRV of just +3. Part of that is likely because of the rotator cuff surgery, which appears to have affected his arm strength, and some of the defensive decline may also come from a loss of athleticism, as his sprint speed went from 28.4 ft/sec in 2025, down to a below-league-average 27.2 ft/sec this season. In fact, just about everything from his baseball savant profile is down across the board: All of that leaves the Blue Jays facing an uncomfortable question. If Varsho isn’t the same hitter (or defender) as he was a year ago, then what should they do with him at the upcoming trade deadline? That’s what makes Varsho such a fascinating trade candidate. He’s set to become a free agent at the end of the season, and because of that alone, he seems like a likely candidate to be moved at the deadline, but there’s a lot more to it than meets the eye. Unlike many rental players, the Blue Jays already have a fallback option. If they keep Varsho through the season, they can issue him a qualifying offer. If he accepts, they keep a starting center fielder for another season. If he declines and signs elsewhere, they receive draft pick compensation, so any return the Blue Jays get in a trade will need to be more valuable than that. The real test of whether Varsho is moved will be how he’s valued by teams across the league. As previously mentioned, Varsho’s season simply hasn’t been that productive. He's been a worse-than-league-average bat, his sprint speed has taken a step back, and he has been just a one-win player (according to fWAR) on the season so far. If a rival front office views Varsho as the player he’s been in 2026, the return probably isn’t as significant as the Blue Jays might hope. The closest comp could be Cedric Mullins, who was traded from the Orioles to the Mets at last year's trade deadline. Both players are roughly the same age. They hit from the same side of the plate. Mullins had a .690 OPS last season, whereas Varsho’s sits at .689. Both have built their value around elite center field defence, and were/are both set to be free agents at season's end. For Mullins, the Orioles received three right-handed pitchers in that trade, including the Mets' 14th- and 30th-ranked prospects, as well as another unranked prospect in their system, according to MLB Pipeline. It’s a reasonable comparison for projecting what the Blue Jays could expect in return. Is that price worth the potential draft pick compensation or the potential of Varsho coming back on the qualifying offer? It's tough to say. Of course, another team may view Varsho very differently. He is just one season removed from a 20-home run, 123 wRC+ season. He’s also a former Gold Glove winner who now has postseason experience under his belt. If another team thinks they can bring that player back into the picture, the price for Varsho would be much higher, and then the Blue Jays would almost certainly move on from their center fielder. Now, if the Blue Jays do decide to make a trade, there should be several suitors available. Whether the real Varsho is the 92 wRC+, 1.0 fWAR player he’s been this season, or the one who hit 20 home runs in 71 games in 2025, or anywhere in between, he can still provide value to any club headed to the postseason, and center field defence will always be valuable, especially in October, where every play is magnified. With that in mind, contenders with below-average center field production or a need for another left-handed bat could view Varsho as one of the more attractive position players available. Here are some of those teams: The Phillies: By fWAR, they have one of the worst outfields in baseball, and inserting Varsho into center immediately gives them an upgrade on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball. The Astros: Houston seems like a potential fit for an impact left-handed hitting outfielder. Taylor Trammell, Brice Matthews, and Jake Meyers have been rotating in the outfield, and recently called-up Lucas Spence has been spending time in center. Varsho would fit in here easily. The Rays: Admittedly, this won’t feel great for Blue Jays fans, but the Jays have proven they will trade within their division in the past, and the Rays value outfield defence just as much as anybody. That’s what makes Varsho one of the most fascinating players to watch over the next two weeks. The Blue Jays know exactly what he was in 2025; they also know what he’s been in 2026. What they, and the rest of baseball, still have to decide is which version of Daulton Varsho they believe is the real one. Until another team answers that question with an aggressive offer, the Blue Jays may be better off betting on the return of the Varsho they saw last season.