Why Blue Jays need outfield help more than starting pitching at MLB trade deadline

The Toronto Blue Jays are 39-41 on the season, and are still in the thick of the postseason hunt thanks to a very weak American League this season. But the Blue Jays need to get some help at the MLB trade deadline if they want to contend for the World Series.

After losing Cody Ponce to a season-ending injury, and Jose Berrios and Bowden Francis also done for the year, and Max Scherzer's issues, starting pitching is a need.

But Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report identified outfield as the Blue Jays' top need this summer. The reason why is simple: the Toronto outfield, outside of Daulton Varsho, is incredibly disappointing.

Blue Jays need OF more than SP at 2026 trade deadline

"Biggest Need: Outfield," Miller writes. "But aside from Daulton Varsho, they haven't brought much of anything to the table this year."

Miller brought up one key stat to explain why the Blue Jays need an outfielder: bWAR. Specifically, five of the seven players who've appeared in one game in the outfield for Toronto this season.

Of the Toronto outfielders this season, only Varsho at 1.5 bWAR and Nathan Lukes at 0.7 bWAR are in the positive this season. Myles Straw has 0.0 bWAR, but the rest of the outfield has been in the negatives.

Jesus Sanchez has -0.4 bWAR, Davis Schneider has -0.4 bWAR, Addison Barger is at -0.2, and Yohendrick Pinango has -0.2 bWAR this season. It's abundantly clear this outfield needs a bit more help.

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While yes, the Toronto rotation also could use an upgrade, Kevin Gausman, Trey Yesavage, Dylan Cease, and Shane Bieber are all healthy and pitching for the Blue Jays right now.

That is a good-enough group to make the starting rotation need not as important as the outfield need this season. They could still add a starter, but the outfield is a more pressing concern for Toronto, or at least it should be this season.

Outfield help could be found in a few different ways this summer, with Byron Buxton the top option by far, and options like Taylor Ward, Jarren Duran, Mickey Moniak, and Jo Adell as intriguing trade targets.

Adding to the outfield won't be cheap, but if the Blue Jays want to get back to the World Series, they're going to have to spend this season to improve the outfield, which is a more pressing need than the starting rotation.

More MLB news:

• Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani might not be able to pitch during MLB All-Star Game
• Phillies reportedly turn down Bryce Harper's outfield offer to help at trade deadline
• Giants are ‘hopeful ‘ they can trade Matt Chapman by MLB deadline
• Angles can demand more in trade for Reid Detmers than Tigers can for Tarik Skubal
• Giants are 'pessimistic' they can trade Rafael Devers or Willy Adames