Blue Jays trade targets: 3 under-the-radar relievers who could improve bullpen

Less than a week from the Aug. 1 MLB trade deadline, there should be a few opportunities for the Toronto Blue Jays to improve their bullpen ahead of a critical stretch run.

The Blue Jays are in a fairly unique position as there may come a point when they have an abundance of quality relief arms at the big-league level.

Toronto’s bullpen, as currently constructed, is already among the best in baseball, ranking second in the majors in strikeout-to-walk rate difference (18.1%) and tied for 10th in ERA (3.78). That is excellent, especially considering the team sat middle of the pack in both categories leading up to last season’s trade deadline.

As with any pitching staff, though, there is room for improvement. The difficult part of that equation for the Blue Jays is finding space for everyone, including any possible external additions.

With eight spots available, you can pencil these five relievers down as locks: Jordan Romano, Erik Swanson, Tim Mayza, Trevor Richards and Yimi García. But one of those remaining spots will likely be occupied by Nate Pearson or Génesis Cabrera, with another slated for Chad Green’s eventual return from a rehab assignment.

Since the Blue Jays will likely introduce a six-man rotation upon Hyun Jin Ryu’s return, only seven bullpen jobs will be available as long as six starters occupy the pitching staff. That, of course, will be less of a concern when rosters expand to 28 players in September.

In the meantime, general manager Ross Atkins will be limited in some capacity with how he upgrades his relief corps at the deadline, where he’ll probably be seeking another high-leverage arm to fortify another layer of depth below Romano and Swanson.

There is still a way for Atkins to do so, though it’ll probably involve targeting a reliever that can head to triple-A via a minor-league option. As such, let’s explore three relievers who fit that profile and could improve Toronto’s bullpen by Aug. 1.

LHP Sam Moll: Oakland Athletics

Moll would almost certainly stay put if he weren’t rostered by the Athletics, given that he’s under team control through 2027 and has one MiLB option remaining, which still hasn’t been used this season. Instead, he’s likely to become another victim of the franchise’s full-scale rebuild.

That is positive news for the Blue Jays, who’d gladly add the 31-year-old to their bullpen, inserting a third lefty alongside Mayza and Cabrera. And he’d come with tons of leverage experience, working as the primary setup reliever to closer Trevor May.

The veteran hurler has flown under the radar due to his 4.46 ERA across 43 appearances, but many of his underlying metrics suggest he’s been unlucky, as evidenced by his 3.03 xERA and 3.28 FIP. That’s because he avoids home runs (0.25 HR/9) and misses barrels (2.1%, 99th percentile).

Walks, however, are often his biggest weakness, as his 11% rate ranks in the 16th percentile this season. But he’s been able to minimize the damage thanks to a career-high 26.8% strikeout rate — positioned in the 72nd percentile.

Toronto could also count on Moll to record more than three outs if needed, considering he’s pitched multiple innings in seven of his 42 relief appearances in 2023. That would be especially valuable based on the taxing workload the club’s bullpen has already endured thus far.

Moll’s biggest upside is what he’d bring in left-on-left matchups, as he owns the ninth-highest K-BB rate difference (29.4%) in the majors (minimum 10 plate appearances). He’s also very effective at keeping balls on the ground thanks to his sinker/slider combo, resulting in a 59% groundball rate, the 12th-highest in these situations.

The 5-foot-9 hurler hasn’t been nearly as effective versus righties, who are hitting .274/.421/.356 against him with a 5.3% K-BB rate difference, but that’ll likely change if he can locate his high-spin four-seamer atop the strike zone more effectively.

RHP Jason Foley: Detroit Tigers

If explosive sinkers are your pleasure, Foley should probably be near the top of Atkins’ wish list. Foley's heater is averaging 97.8 mph, placing it in the 94th percentile.

The 27-year-old leans heavily on his sinking fastball, throwing it 71.3% of the time, helping him produce the 11th-highest groundball rate in the big leagues. It is also his most important weapon, as it features a plus-14 run value, tied for the fourth-best among qualified sinkers (min. 10 PAs).

Foley’s sinker is primarily responsible for his impressive 2.03 ERA, 3.01 xERA, 3.36 FIP and 1.3 fWAR over 44.1 innings with the Tigers. But it’s also allowed him to prevent barrels (4.8%) and walks (5.7%).

There could also be more upside to the right-hander’s swing-and-miss output (18.7%), currently sitting in the seventh percentile. While his sinker has created 22 of his 23 strikeouts, throwing more changeups — a pitch he’s used just six times versus righties — might provide a third weapon in those matchups, joining his fastball and slider.

It has certainly been an effective strategy against lefties, who’ve struck out 19% of the time and whiffed at a 33.3% clip when facing Foley’s off-speed offering.

As one of Detroit’s top relievers, Foley may not be easy to acquire, mainly because he’s under club control through 2027 and has two MiLB option years. But if available, he’d make a fine addition to the back end of Toronto’s bullpen.

RHP Hunter Harvey: Washington Nationals

Injuries have been the focal point of Harvey’s professional career, as he’s spent more time on the injured list than in the majors so far — a trend that might squash his chances of joining a playoff contender by Aug. 1.

The 28-year-old flamethrower, whose four-seam velocity (98.6) sits in the 97th percentile, is currently on the 15-day IL due to a right elbow strain. It isn’t considered serious, and he resumed throwing on Monday, but it may keep him away from the big leagues through the trade deadline.

Given Harvey’s extended injury history, potential suitors might be discouraged from presenting a significant offer for the hard-throwing righty, and understandably so. Since he isn’t free-agent eligible until after 2025, the Nationals could be inclined to hold onto him.

But from the Blue Jays’ perspective, it might be worth taking a risk on a potent arm like Harvey’s, as his IL stint could allow them to stash another reliever on a rehab assignment. Plus, that’d kick their roster crunch problem down the road for another week or two.

Harvey, carrying one MiLB option that’d likely prove useful, would positively impact the Blue Jays’ relief corps, adding his 20.8% K-BB rate difference and .192 OPP AVG to their talented group. He’d also come with prior closing experience, sitting with nine saves on the year.

It would place another fastball-splitter hurler in the bullpen, which Toronto may want to avoid based on Swanson and Richards’ arsenals. On the other hand, the team would feature another reliable weapon against both lefties and righties in high-leverage spots.