2 bold trade scenarios for the Blue Jays to explore following the Dylan Cease signing

With room to improve the bullpen and lineup before Opening Day, here are two scenarios the front office could explore if they’re willing to part with prospects and be a bit bold on the trade front. 

Scenario 1: Add some power to the infield by acquiring Ketel Marte

The Arizona Diamondbacks are reportedly shopping Ketel Marte, and the Blue Jays are rumoured to have checked in on him. He’s the unquestioned best second baseman in the league, fresh off a season in which he hit 28 home runs with a .893 OPS. 

Adding Marte would absolutely make the Blue Jays a better team — but his fit and acquisition cost could make a trade difficult. 

Marte’s team-friendly contract — he inked a six-year, $116.5 million extension ahead of the 2025 season — would also allow the Diamondbacks to command a steep return. The Blue Jays would likely have to part with several top-10 prospects in a potential trade, at a minimum. 

Re-signing Bichette or reeling in Kyle Tucker would be a more straightforward avenue to improvement for the Blue Jays. However, swinging a deal for Marte could be an excellent fallback plan if those two decide to take their services elsewhere. 

Scenario 2: Call the San Diego Padres about their relievers

Mason Miller is set to take over the closer role in San Diego with Robert Suarez presumably leaving in free agency. That would leave them with Adrian Morejon, Jeremiah Estrada, and David Morgan as set-up guys, one of whom could be moved to fill other needs. 

Morejon uses a power sinker to induce ground balls and soft contact at an elite level. Estrada, meanwhile, overpowers hitters with a 97.9 mph fastball and devastating offspeed pitches. Morgan is less proven than these two, but possesses the kind of velocity that teams so desperately want to deploy out of their bullpens. 

None of these guys would come cheap, particularly Estrada, who is still a bargain, earning little money as a pre-arbitration player. Still, everyone has a price, and the Padres need starting pitching with Michael King likely to follow Cease out the door — a package headlined by a pitching prospect and another young position player could pique their interest. 

Signing a relief pitcher would be a more straightforward solution, especially since there are some flashy names out there. But the Blue Jays shouldn’t hesitate to call the Friars in their hunt to improve their bullpen.