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13 hours ago
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The Toronto Blue Jays have been on a roller coaster to begin the season, and there have been definite signs of encouragement this week.
After a pair of comeback wins against the Boston Red Sox, the Blue Jays sit only a game below .500. There has been lots of talk about what might happen if Toronto sells at the trade deadline, but as of today, they're a 50-50 bet to be buyers.
What if they do buy, though? The Blue Jays have a fairly complete roster, but the outfield could use one more solid contributor. Young players like Alan Roden, Nathan Lukes, and Addison Barger haven't provided Toronto much in the way of offense this season.
One baseball writer believes a bounce-back from a former All-Star could be just the shot in the arm the Jays need.
On Thursday, ClutchPoints' Zachary Howell named Chicago White Sox center fielder Luis Robert Jr., a 2023 All-Star off to a highly publicized slow start, as a potential Blue Jays trade target this summer.
"Most experts expect Robert Jr. to move this summer, but they said that during the offseason. The White Sox, for whatever reason, decided to hold on to him for a little bit longer. Now, though, they need to get as much as they can for him before his value goes down," Howell wrote.
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"Contenders around the league will ask about him, and Toronto might be the one team willing to pay. Adding Robert Jr. gives them an outfield of him, Daulton Varsho, and George Springer."
Robert may have his slumps, but his 38-home-run season in 2023 proves that he's a game-changer at his best. He also has seven hits and two home runs in his last five games, raising his OPS to an almost-respectable mark of .622.
The $50 million extension Robert got five years ago expires at the end of the season, but his contract also contains $20 million club options for 2026 and 2027. It's going to be fascinating to see where he winds up.
More MLB: Blue Jays could cut ties with $63 million All-Star in favor of two Cubs prospects
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