MLB Trade Rumors: Blue Jays Linked To 2 NL Central Teams In Trades

The Toronto Blue Jays come out of the All-Star Break in an unfamiliar spot while under the stewardship of Mark Shapiro and Ross Atkins: in 1st place in the AL East.

But ESPN insider Buster Olney calls the division "absolutely wide open!", meaning that teams like the Jays (not to mention the Boston Red Sox, NY Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays) will have to be active and aggressive at the trade deadline by the end of this month.

Speaking on TSN's First Up Wednesday morning, Olney says the word on the street is that the Jays will be targeting some high-leverage relievers, and have two teams on speed-dial:

Talking to a lot of executives around baseball... the Blue Jays are going to be aggressive.... One of the executives I spoke with really believes that the Jays will lock in on bullpen help, and maybe that's with the Minnesota Twins, maybe it's with the Cleveland Guardians. That's the perception of other teams.

Minnesota Twins

The Twins have two elite high-leverage arms that they could be set to deal, in Jhoan Duran and Griffin Jax.

Duran is one of the top closers in the sport, with his 1.66 ERA and 15 saves. He is in the 100th percentile in average fastball velocity (100.3 mph) this season, having reached 100+ mph 141 times. He also has two more years remaining of team control, so he will come at a high cost.

Jax is having his 4th straight strong year in the Twins' bullpen, with 14.4 K/9 and a 66:10 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

Cleveland Guardians

Anyone not named Emmanuel Clase or Cade Smith are available, per Olney. Former MLB closer Paul Sewald is expected back on the mound before the end of the month, and 6-foot-6 reliever Hunter Gaddis is another decent option. He's in the 88th percentile in Whiff % and Chase % this season, per Baseball Savant. Both of those names would come a lot cheaper than the Twins' twin duo.