A couple of days before Monday’s trade deadline, it was reported that the Blue Jays were one of a handful of teams interested in Texas Rangers’ ace Lance Lynn.

Lynn would have made all kinds of sense for the Jays, given the fact that beyond pitching very well this season, he’s also under control at a reasonable price for next year.

But, the deadline came and went and Lynn remained in Texas. The Jays, as we know, ended up acquiring a handful of players, Robbie Ray from Arizona, Ross Stripling from Los Angeles, and Jonathan Villar from Miami, but didn’t pull the trigger on a deal for a top-of-the-rotation guy like Lynn.

Given the reported ask the Rangers had for their ace’s services… I can see why.

According to David O’Brien, an Atlanta Braves reporter for The Athletic, Texas was seeking either Cristian Pache or Drew Waters, who rank as the organization’s top two prospects. Even the gun-slinging Alex Anthopolous, a guy who, as we know, isn’t afraid to make a big trade, backed off.

Pache and Waters, a pair of outfielders, are currently ranked No. 12 and No. 27 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 prospects list. Logic would indicate that if the Jays were going to reach a deal for Lynn, the Rangers would have been asking for a top prospect like Austin Martin or Jordan Groshans in return.

Given where the Jays are in their rebuild, they aren’t ready for that kind of deal just yet.