This is a preview of the Joe Sheehan Baseball Newsletter, an e-mail newsletter about all things baseball, featuring analysis and opinion about the game on and off the field from the perspective of the informed outsider.
You can subscribe to the newsletter for one year for $79.95
using your PayPal account or major credit card. (Zelle users, please email me for details.)
-
14. Toronto Blue Jays (54-61, fifth in AL East, 24th in MLB, -60 run differential). The Blue Jays were the most interesting team at the trade deadline, making a trade from each category and ending up, arguably, a better current team than they were on August 2. They upgraded slightly in the rotation, swapping out Kevin Gausman for Jose Soriano and Spencer Arrighetti, at the immediate cost of a declining Daulton Varsho.
They did trade Arjun Nimmala, a well-regarded shortstop prospect, to get the next two years of Soriano. Nimmala, incredibly young for his levels so far as a pro, was holding his own at Double-A as a 20-year-old. The Jays, though, took shortstop JoJo Parker with the eighth pick in last year’s draft and have another shortstop-like substance in Juan Sanchez. Given concerns about Nimmala’s size and future power, he was somewhat expendable.
Everything about what the Jays did says they expect to be back in the AL East mix in 2027. They may even still be in the playoff mix in 2026, down to three games out of a berth and with plenty of games left against the teams they’re chasing.
One Stat: There are 146 hitters qualified for the batting title. In that group, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is 135th in slugging and 142nd in isolated power.
Reason to Watch: Dylan Cease leads the AL in FIP, ERA+, and bWAR, and he’s tied for the lead in fWAR. He’s second in ERA to Cam Schlitter, and the Jays won’t be managing Cease’s workload the way the Yankees will Schlittler’s. Cease is well-positioned to steal the AL Cy Young Award after Schlittler spent months as the betting favorite.
-
You can subscribe to the newsletter for one year for $79.95
using your PayPal account or major credit card. (Zelle users, please email me for details.)
