Blue Jays reveal top trade deadline need, and it's not any one position

Blue Jays reveal top trade deadline need, and it’s not any one position originally appeared on The Sporting News.
Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Toronto Blue Jays, after coming so close to a World Series title in 2025, have gotten off to a rough start to the 2026 season so far.

While they’re in the postseason hunt right now, they really could use some help. With the MLB trade deadline a month and a half away, what could the Blue Jays do at the deadline?

Well, according to Jim Bowden of The Athletic, the Blue Jays revealed their top trade deadline need to him, and it’s not one player. Instead, it’s simply to get healthy and get some players back from injury.

Blue Jays’ top trade deadline need is simply to get healthy

“The Blue Jays just want to get healthy, as they have not been at full strength all season, and they believe once they are, that they’ll be right back in the race,” Bowden writes.

Looking across the Blue Jays roster, it’s understandable why their top need by the trade deadline is to get healthy. Alejandro Kirk recently returned from injury, but there are still a lot of players currently banged up.

Addison Bader and Daulton Varsho are both on the injured list, and Ernie Clement is now dealing with hip soreness, for another concerning injury this Blue Jays team has to manage.

But the pitching staff might be worse off. They lost Cody Ponce early in the season and have also seen Bowden Francis and Jose Berrios get ruled out for the entire 2026 season.

MORE:Tarik Skubal being traded by Tigers would help him in free agency

Unfortunately, that’s not all the injuries in the starting rotation. Shane Bieber has yet to pitch this season, and Max Scherzer has been bouncing between starting and landing on the injured list recently.

While Toronto could use more help in the rotation, bullpen, and a right-handed hitter, their top deadline need in the Blue Jays’ mind, according to Bowden, is to get healthy.

The Blue Jays getting healthy would help fix a lot of the issues with the roster right now, and it’s understandable why health is the top trade deadline need for this team, as opposed to one specific position or player.

More MLB news: