Chances are the Toronto Blue Jays have another trade up their sleeves this winter.

The franchise has enjoyed a decent off-season thus far, albeit almost exclusively improving the club’s run prevention, bringing back reliever Yimi García, acquiring glove-first infielder Andrés Giménez and a high-upside relief arm in Nick Sandlin via trade, and signing closer Jeff Hoffman in free agency.

But now it’s time to focus on some badly needed run creation for a Blue Jays lineup that must take a drastic step forward before spring training arrives in four weeks.

Most assume Toronto’s front office will look to add at least one impact free-agent hitter, as they should, given who’s still available – like Anthony Santander, Pete Alonso, Alex Bregman and Jurickson Profar. However, the trade market may serve as a valuable resource, too.

Previously, there was the belief that the organization might leverage its infield surplus to fortify the back end of the bullpen with a well-established high-leverage reliever. That pathway appears far less likely now after landing Hoffman, though. While management could stand pat, they could also utilize part of that depth to improve their major league position-player group, particularly in the outfield.

As much of a hole as the Blue Jays possess at the DH spot, they’d also benefit from an upgrade over their internal left-field options, which include Joey Loperfido, Nathan Lukes, Davis Schneider, Steward Berroa and Jonatan Clase.

After finishing 74-88 last season, last in the AL East, this team needs someone who can push the needle forward at the plate in 2025. And there are a small handful of potential trade targets who are capable of doing just that.

2024 Stats (2 teams): 130 games — 15 HR, 63 RBI, .237/.309/.400, 99 wRC+

Thomas, a free agent after next season, is someone whose name has circulated in trade rumours for much of this off-season, suggesting the Cleveland Guardians are prepared to move on following a lacklustre 2024 performance.

The 29-year-old was off to a respectable start with the Washington Nationals, accounting for a 107 wRC+ (100 league average) in 77 games. But his offensive production took a massive nosedive following a trade to the Guardians, posting an 84 wRC+ across 53 games with his new club.

In that span, the former Blue Jays prospect – whom the organization selected in the fifth round of the 2014 draft – saw his strikeout rate skyrocket by 13.7 per cent, soaring to a 34.8-per-cent clip. Conversely, his walk rate fell three per cent, dropping from 9.4 to 6.4 with Cleveland.

The right-handed-hitting outfielder also endured significant changes to his batted-ball output, generating fewer line drives (22.4 per cent to 17.6) and vastly more ground balls (37.5 per cent to 40.7).

Thomas drifted away from one of his biggest strengths last season: pulling fly balls, which played a major role in his breakout 2023 campaign that resulted in a career-high 28 home runs. After producing a 36.8-per-cent pull rate on fly balls in ‘23, that figure greatly diminished a season ago, plummeting to 23.9 per cent – the second-lowest of his six big-league seasons.

Despite those woes, the veteran slugger presents as a 2025 bounce-back candidate, assuming his new team – whoever that ends up being – helps him make the necessary mechanical adjustments. He also remains among the most effective hitters versus left-handed pitching, slashing .319/.380/.539 with a 151 wRC+ – 15th-highest among 136 major league hitters with at least 250 plate appearances – against southpaws over the last two seasons.

Another benefit of acquiring Thomas is that he’d further improve Toronto’s athleticism – an element the front office has already enhanced with the Giménez trade – given he’s stolen 52 bases since ‘23 and featured a 94th-percentile average sprint speed (29.3) last season.

Defensively, he’s considered a below-average fielder, with his minus-two outs above average ranking in the 29th percentile a season ago. That being said, he possesses one of the strongest outfield arms and can play all three positions, making him a plug-and-play option in centre because of his elite-level quickness.

The Blue Jays and Guardians have already completed one notable trade this off-season. Since Giménez’s departure created a vacancy at second base, paired with the organization’s next wave of outfield prospects knocking at the door, perhaps both clubs can help address each other’s needs for a second time.

2024 Stats: 156 games — 25 HR, 75 RBI, .246/.323/.426, 111 wRC+

Needless to say, the Los Angeles Angels are an odd case.

Amidst a streak of 10 playoff-less seasons, the front office should be attempting to reset its roster (again), which has helped spark trade speculation surrounding veteran players such as Ward. Instead, they’ve been among this winter’s most active teams, signing former Blue Jay Yusei Kikuchi, Travis d’Arnaud and Kyle Hendricks in free agency.

The Angels remain committed to competing in 2025, at least for now. That could change fairly quickly once the season begins. But until it does, it’ll likely take a lucrative offer for management to part with Ward, especially considering the franchise is already thin on major league-calibre outfielders.

Those circumstances won’t stop teams like the Blue Jays from calling about the 31-year-old outfielder, and rightly so. The right-handed-hitting veteran – who avoided arbitration last week on a one-year, $7.83-million contract and has one ARB year remaining before hitting free agency – would be the perfect addition to Toronto’s lineup.

Ward would check several boxes for manager John Schneider. He hits for power (20-plus home runs in two of three previous seasons), creates damage (88th-percentile barrel rate in 2024), makes quality swing decisions (94th-percentile chase rate) and is an above-average defender in left field (84th-percentile OAA).

It’s easy to understand Los Angeles’ hesitation around trading Ward, who’d help bridge the gap to Toronto’s young outfield corps – including Loperfido and Clase, as well as prospect Alan Roden. But perhaps a package centred around Addison Barger could be a strong starting point, providing a controllable, cost-effective alternative to declining third baseman Anthony Rendon.

2024 Stats: 109 games — 12 HR, 45 RBI, .244/.342/.417, 114 wRC+

Nootbaar’s days with the Cardinals could be numbered after both sides failed to avoid arbitration last week, with the 27-year-old filing at $2.95 million and the team at $2.45 million, especially as the front office looks to save money while resetting the roster.

Part of that turnover may also lead to the organization trading third baseman Nolan Arenado. If he’s dealt, that could potentially align Toronto and St. Louis’ interests involving a deal centred around Nootbar and Barger.

While the former endured an injury-plagued campaign last season, limited to 109 games due to wrist and oblique IL stints, he remains an intriguing left-handed-hitting outfielder – whose offensive production finished 14 per cent above league average in 2024, 18 in ‘23 and 23 in ‘22 per wRC+.

On the surface, Nootbaar – under club control through ‘27 – hasn’t provided much home run-hitting power in his career, never clubbing more than 14 round-trippers in four major league seasons. But he’s quite capable of creating hard contact, as his average exit velocity (91.8 m.p.h.) and hard-hit rate (49.5 per cent) placed in the 88th and 91st percentiles last season, respectively.

The 6-foot-3 outfielder also possesses remarkable plate discipline and knowledge of the strike zone, with his chase and walk rates ranking in the 90th percentile or higher during each of the previous three seasons.

As an above-average defender capable of playing all three outfield positions, Nootbaar’s versatility could also prove valuable in 2025, particularly with Daulton Varsho expected to begin next season on the IL while recovering from shoulder surgery.

2024 Stats: 149 games — 18 HR, 64 RBI, .252/.313/.417, 100 wRC+

Amidst a never-ending rebuild, any veteran player on the Miami Marlins’ roster should probably be considered a potential trade candidate – which should bode well for Sánchez’s odds of being moved to a playoff contender.

The 27-year-old has been overlooked in South Beach over the last two seasons, particularly in the power department. He hasn’t reached the 20-home-run mark in five big-league seasons. However, the left-handed slugger greatly underperformed his expected results in 2024, suggesting he’s likely due for a boost in positive regression next season.

Sánchez posted a measly .252/.313/.417 slash line over 149 games last season. That’s despite registering a 93rd-percentile average exit velocity (92.5 m.p.h.) and a 95th-percentile hard-hit rate (51.3 per cent).

In every case, Sánchez’s expected metrics finished higher than his traditional ones, especially his xSLG of .468 – 51 points higher than his .417 SLG. That gap was the ninth-highest in the majors among qualified hitters, trailing notables such as Juan Soto, Salvador Perez, J.D. Martinez and Julio Rodríguez.

Of the production that has shown up in box scores, almost all of it has occurred versus right-handed pitching, against whom he’s slashed .268/.337/.465 with a 117 wRC+ since 2023.

One of the few drawbacks to pursuing Sánchez is his experience in left field – or lack thereof. Since debuting in 2020, he’s logged just 391.2 career innings in left compared to his 703.2 in centre and 2,054 in right. It also doesn’t help he’s average defensively.

But with Varsho, one of the sport’s most talented defensive outfielders (when healthy), in centre, the Blue Jays could probably afford to sacrifice a bit of defence for offence in the outfield – at least before substituting Sánchez for a late-game defensive replacement.