The Toronto Blue Jays are set to become sellers with the trade deadline looming and a disappointing 46-56 record heading into the weekend against the Texas Rangers. While the club does not seem willing to trade players with controllable years such as Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette, and Chris Bassitt, roster players who are eligible for free agency this offseason are on the trade block as the front office looks to restock for the 2025 season.

Players who should be available this week and into next include Yusei Kikuchi, Yimi García, Trevor Richards, Danny Jansen, Justin Turner, and Kevin Kiermaier. Reliever Chad Green has also been in trade discussions, as the New York Yankees appear interested in a reunion.

With the Blue Jays losing some roster players shortly through the deadline, there is a likelihood that there will be spots available for internal prospects barring returning players who would slot into the current roster to finish out the season.

With Kikuchi, García, Richards and Green all in the mix, here are five pitchers in the Jays system that could find themselves in the big leagues to finish out the regular season.

This one is a given considering Bowden Francis is one of the more experienced arms down in Buffalo right now.

The right-hander earned a spot in the Blue Jays rotation to start the season but struggled to find the same success he pitched to in Spring Training before landing on the injured list.

In the big leagues, Francis owns a 5.82 ERA through 16 appearances and possesses a better line as a reliever, authoring a 4.44 ERA and a 1.405 WHIP through 26 1/3 innings out of the pen. Francis was moved back to Buffalo on July 14th and since his demotion, the Jays have been using him out of the rotation and his last two starts have been stellar – two hits and zero earned runs with 13 strikeouts through nine collective innings.

With Kikuchi likely being traded between now and July 30th, Francis appears to be in line for his spot in the rotation, especially if he can carry over the strong outings in triple-A back to Toronto for a second go-around.

Heading into the 2024 season, Hagen Danner was looking to rebound after leaving his only big league appearance last year with an oblique strain that saw him finish the season on the IL.

Danner did not crack the bullpen out of Spring Training and has spent the entire season in Buffalo, putting up strong numbers in high-pressure situations. Through 22 outings, Danner has crafted a 3.18 ERA with a 9.5 K/9 and limited opposing batters to a .748 OPS while collecting four saves through five opportunities.

The caveat to Danner’s promotion is he is currently on the injured list with an unspecified injury. This scenario works if he does get healthy sooner rather than later, especially since he is already on the 40-man roster compared to others listed below who would require a spot.

Injuries and poor performance amongst other bullpen arms saw Zach Pop join the Blue Jays on April 30th, with the Brampton, Ontario product starting the year off in triple-A with a 1.86 ERA through nine outings. He racked up three saves and had allowed just eight hits and two earned runs before the promotion, looking to turn that success into some traction in the big leagues.

Pop succeeded early with the Jays, posting a 3.14 ERA and allowing just five earned runs through 14 1/3 innings and 15 outings. Since June 4th, things have turned sour for the Canadian, who has allowed 14 earned runs and 16 hits through similar innings totals (14 2/3). He has also struggled mightily with his command, allowing 11 free passes during that time, and surrendered four home runs.

The right-hander was recently sent back to Buffalo to make room on the big league roster but Pop should be in line for a quick promotion once his 15 days are up (barring an injury). If he can keep his command in check, there is a strong chance that Pop will finish the season in the Jays bullpen looking to cement a full-time role next year.

After eight seasons in the Texas Rangers farm system, the Blue Jays acquired right-hander Yerry Rodríguez in exchange for fellow reliever Josh Mollerus.

With one minor league option at his disposal, Rodríguez has flirted with the Rangers bullpen since 2022 and owns a 7.11 ERA through 26 appearances and 31 2/3 innings while riding the options bus between triple-A and the big leagues. Rodríguez struggled with the Rangers this season and was later designated for assignment on June 26th, leading to the Jays acquiring the right-hander shortly after.

Ever since the trade, Rodríguez has excelled in the Bisons bullpen – authoring a 1.80 ERA and a 14.4 K/9 through the limited sample size of five innings. He has allowed just two hits and one run since the deal and has limited opponents to a .611 OPS and a .188 SLG.

The kicker? Rodríguez’s command has been abysmal as of late, with the Dominican product allowing nine walks through those five innings.

Before any promotion is considered, he will need to hone in on the command issues as big-league hitters will feed off the walks. Should he turn a corner or find the plate with more consistency, he could be moved towards the front of the line.

A fifth-round pick of the Blue Jays back in 2022, left-hander Mason Fluharty has quickly worked his way up the minor league ladder since his draft year.

Fluharty was tasked with starting the year in triple-A and the Liberty alum has excelled in the new opportunity, posting a 3.23 ERA through 47 1/3 innings. While he has seen a slight decline in his K/9 compared to previous seasons (9.7), Fluharty has been consistent with his command over the past two seasons – hovering around the mid-three mark. The southpaw has limited opponents to a .278 BABip and a .636 OPS and has been one of the better arms in the Bisons bullpen across the entire campaign.

While Brandon Eisert got the first crack in Toronto this season, Fluharty should be considered next in line when all is said and done. With some spots potentially up for grabs in short order, Fluharty has earned a spot on the 40-man roster and a shot in the big leagues once the calendar turns over into August.

Honourable Mentions: Brandon Eisert (LHP), Hayden Juenger (RHP), Paxton Schultz (RHP)