Ketel Marte’s Stats since 2024: 262 G | 984 AB | 283 H | 51 2B | 64 HR | 167 RBI | 129 BB | 189 K | .288/.374/.539 Contract: 2026 (Age 32)- $15M 2027 (Age 33)- $12M 2028 (Age 34)- $20M 2029 (Age 35)- $22M 2030 (Age 36)- $22M 2031 (Age 37)- $11.5M (Player Option)
2 bold trade scenarios for the Blue Jays to explore following the Dylan Cease signing
Photo credit: © Denis Poroy-Imagn Images
By Ben Wrixon
Nov 28, 2025, 12:00 ESTUpdated: Nov 27, 2025, 22:54 EST
Trade season is officially underway with several high-profile players changing teams over the last few weeks. Sonny Gray, Brandon Nimmo, Marcus Semien, Taylor Ward, Grayson Rodriguez, and Dylan Cease will all don new uniforms next season, with the latter recently joining the Blue Jays. Toronto made a splash early out of the offseason gate with Cease, and will now look to improve other areas on the roster this winter.
With room to improve the bullpen and lineup before Opening Day, here are two scenarios the front office could explore if they’re willing to part with prospects and be a bit bold on the trade front.
Scenario 1: Add some power to the infield by acquiring Ketel Marte
The Arizona Diamondbacks are reportedly shopping Ketel Marte, and the Blue Jays are rumoured to have checked in on him. He’s the unquestioned best second baseman in the league, fresh off a season in which he hit 28 home runs with a .893 OPS.
Adding Marte would absolutely make the Blue Jays a better team — but his fit and acquisition cost could make a trade difficult.
First and foremost: Marte becoming the team’s everyday second baseman would likely signal the end of Bo Bichette’s time in Toronto. Martehas a strong track record behind him, but Bichette is five years younger and a beloved homegrown star. Allowing Bichette to walk in favour of an unfamiliar face would likely divide the fanbase and potentially the locker room, especially if the trade package is significant to Arizona.
Marte’s team-friendly contract — he inked a six-year, $116.5 million extension ahead of the 2025 season — would also allow the Diamondbacks to command a steep return. The Blue Jays would likely have to part with several top-10 prospects in a potential trade, at a minimum.
Re-signing Bichette or reeling in Kyle Tucker would be a more straightforward avenue to improvement for the Blue Jays. However, swinging a deal for Marte could be an excellent fallback plan if those two decide to take their services elsewhere.
Scenario 2: Call the San Diego Padres about their relievers
With the reported signing of Cease, who will shore up the starting rotation for 2026 and beyond, the Blue Jays could shift their attention to improving their bullpen. The San Diego Padres would be the team to call for reinforcements.
Mason Miller is set to take over the closer role in San Diego with Robert Suarez presumably leaving in free agency. That would leave them with Adrian Morejon, Jeremiah Estrada, and David Morgan as set-up guys, one of whom could be moved to fill other needs.
Morejon uses a power sinker to induce ground balls and soft contact at an elite level. Estrada, meanwhile, overpowers hitters with a 97.9 mph fastball and devastating offspeed pitches. Morgan is less proven than these two, but possesses the kind of velocity that teams so desperately want to deploy out of their bullpens.
No one has elevated his game this season like Adrian Morejon. And honestly, it’s not even close.
None of these guys would come cheap, particularly Estrada, who is still a bargain, earning little money as a pre-arbitration player. Still, everyone has a price, and the Padres need starting pitching with Michael King likely to follow Cease out the door — a package headlined by a pitching prospect and another young position player could pique their interest.
Signing a relief pitcher would be a more straightforward solution, especially since there are some flashy names out there. But the Blue Jays shouldn’t hesitate to call the Friars in their hunt to improve their bullpen.