With the regular season just days away, the Toronto Blue Jays will have this final chance to make additions or changes to their roster before the games that count.
That said, this list will take a look at five players who may be on their team’s trading block and who the Jays may be able to acquire.
Whether they’re a fringe player bouncing between triple-A and the majors, or an everyday player who could be traded if the return is right, here are five players the Jays front office could, at the very least, look into.

Dylan Cease

While this is admittedly a long shot for the Jays, an article about trades wouldn’t be complete in the current MLB landscape without mentioning Dylan Cease.
According to NY Post’s Jon Heyman, around nine teams have expressed interest in Cease, with the Jays as one of them. In a follow-up post, Heyman said that an MLB executive expects a 50-50 chance of Cease being dealt before the season. His estimation likely stems from the fact that the San Diego Padres are expected to compete for a postseason spot this year.
The right-hander had a great 2024 season, posting a 3.47 ERA with 224 strikeouts. The problem for the Padres and potential trade partners is that his contract expires after this upcoming season. That means that the Padres may get nothing if he walks in free agency, but also makes him a potential rental if traded.
The Jays have not shied away from that this offseason, though. Signing Max Scherzer to a one-year deal after his 2024 with the Texas Rangers when he played only nine games was a risk, and the team is already fighting against that, as Scherzer is battling a thumb injury.
Cease brings a little less risk, being only 29 years old, but it’s important to remember that he did have Tommy John surgery back in 2015. If the Jays are desperate enough for extra pitching and are willing to move some more pricey prospect pieces around, this move could still happen.

Lars Nootbaar

On Wednesday, Blue Jays Central producer Chris Black mentioned on X that Lars Nootbaar would make a perfect fit for the Jays:
It’s not hard to see why; Nootbaar has been raking for the St. Louis Cardinals this spring training and had a solid 2024 for them as well.
This spring, he’s hit an above .300 average while maintaining an OBP of over .450. Adding an on-base type of player would set up more opportunities for the Jays sluggers like Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Anthony Santander.
As a team that finished just above .500 last year and that lost a key player in Paul Goldschmidt this offseason, it wouldn’t be outrageous to see them enter a rebuild sooner rather than later.
Perhaps for the right pieces, the Jays could make a solid addition to the top of their batting order.

Lou Trivino

Injuries to Erik Swanson, Ryan Burr, and Zach Pop have tested the Blue Jays relief pitcher depth even further than it already was.
The one-year, $1.5-million-dollar deal that Trivino signed with the San Francisco Giants in February is a lot for a minor-league contract. It’s especially so for a player who hasn’t pitched since 2022, but there is a huge possible upside here.
As the Giants have already taken on the contract, other teams can wait to see how he plays before potentially putting offers out. For the right deal, the Giants may be willing to part with Trivino, as their bullpen already has decent depth with players such as Tyler Rogers, Sean Hjelle, and Ryan Walker.
The only problem is that his value may be too high if he continues playing the way he is this spring. So far, the veteran has made seven appearances and not allowed a single run on only three hits.

Andrew Chafin

Another veteran reliever, Andrew Chafin was traded to the Detroit Tigers from the Texas Rangers in late July 2024. Following the trade, Chafin posted a 3.16 ERA across 41 appearances for the team.
After joining the Tigers on a MiLB deal, this spring training has been rough for him though, as he’s pitched to an 18.00 ERA across only four appearances. His tough spring has his major league spot in question, but that could also lower his trade value. He does have an opt-out date that would take place this weekend, so the Jays could also wait it out and see if he hits free agency again without having to trade anyone. 
As mentioned earlier, the absence of several key bullpen pieces for the Jays would make the addition of Chafin a welcome one, even if it’s just on a MiLB deal. 

Luke Maile

It’s always fun to end these lists on former Blue Jays. Luke Maile, who was with the Jays from 2017 to 2019 behind the dish, may be worth a look with the current catching depth that the team has.
As of now, Alejandro Kirk will be asked to hold down the majority of the catching duty, with Tyler Heineman or Christian Bethancourt appearing to be the leading backup candidates. Maile has had a great spring with the Kansas City Royals batting .333, but he’s unlikely to make the team due to Salvador Perez and Freddy Fermin being ahead of him on the depth chart.
Even though his regular season performance was below the Mendoza Line last year, his plus-grade glove would likely make him a candidate for the backup role for the Jays– especially if he can keep hitting as well as he has this spring.
For the right return, the Royals likely wouldn’t have much reason to say no to a swap for Maile. The real challenge would be battling with other teams who are short on catching depth should they put an offer out for Maile as well.