The Toronto Blue Jays are urged to acquire a 3.96-ERA reliever to bolster the bullpen ahead of the MLB trade deadline on July 31.
The Toronto Blue Jays are atop the American League and the AL East and will look to bolster their roster ahead of the 2025 Major League Baseball trade deadline on July 31.
The Blue Jays' biggest need is pitching, whether that’s adding a starter or a reliever. Toronto will likely add multiple pitchers, and MLB analyst Matt Snyder of CBS Sports urges the Blue Jays to acquire Jake Bird from the Colorado Rockies.
"Bird has been knocked around a lot this month, seeing his ERA leap from 2.63 to 4.09 in the span of four outings (it's back down to 3.96 now),” Snyder wrote. “He was amazing for a while to start the season, though, and you never know what pitching so often in Coors Field is going to do to a guy. It's always possible he flourishes upon his departure both due to being freed from a bad ballpark situation -- in terms of pitcher environment, that is, because Coors Field is aesthetically gorgeous -- and a horrific team.
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“Yes, Bird has been much better in Coors Field this year than on the road, but adjusting your game to Coors causes bad road habits in both hitters and pitchers, and we've known this for years. In this case, the Jays could grab Bird while his value is depressed and the Rockies' front office might just go for it,” Snyder added.
Bird would give Blue Jays’ manager John Schneider another arm to use in high-leverage situations or be a middle-inning reliever. Regardless, Bird would be an upgrade in the Blue Jays’ bullpen.
Bird is earning $770,000 and has three more years of arbitration rights, so he would be a fixture of Toronto’s bullpen for years to come.
Bird is 3-1 with a 3.96 ERA in 43 games over 52.1 innings.
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Category: Baseball
