The <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/">Toronto Blue Jays</a> have entered August with meaningful September baseball in sight. The club made critical moves before the trade deadline to strengthen their roster, but given the current AL East competition, Toronto could have pushed for even more reinforcements.
The addition of Shane Bieber is significant, provided he returns healthy and can pitch at or above his baseline level. The arrival of Seranthony Domínguez and Louis Varland also gives a notable boost to a vulnerable bullpen.
This season, the entire Blue Jays pitching staff has posted a 4.28 ERA, while the bullpen holds a 4.09 ERA, a number that has gone up recently in a rough series against the Dodgers. This raises the question: Could Toronto have added more relief depth for the playoff push? 
Acquiring a top arm like the ones mentioned below would have cost the Jays some serious prospect or MLB-ready level talent, and rightfully so. However, for a team looking to contend this season, here are three players the Jays could have pursued this trade deadline to bolster the bullpen for their postseason push this year.
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<h3 data-start="1015" data-end="1070">Mason Miller &#8211; RHP</h3>
Closers are among the hardest players to acquire in baseball. Fortunately, Toronto already has Jeff Hoffman, with his 47 1/3 innings pitched, 26 saves, four blown saves, a 4.56 ERA, and a .216 opponent batting average.
However, <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/athletics-trade-mason-miller-padres-leo-de-vries">Mason Miller</a> could have been a game-changing addition. The former Athletics star, now with the San Diego Padres, ranks 13th among MLB closers in the save category, but that can mostly be attributed to the A&#8217;s not giving their star many opportunities to save games. Miller boasts a powerhouse arsenal—a fastball reaching 102 mph, a darting slider, and a deceptive changeup.
The Padres paid a high price to acquire him, sending top prospect Leo De Vries and three prospect pitchers in the trade, while also acquiring left-hander JP Sears alongside the fireball closer. While expensive in prospect capital, pairing Miller with Hoffman could have created a lethal late-inning duo to lock down postseason games that would be unmatched compared to the rest of the Major Leagues.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
We will be watching this for another 4 years 
And hopefully more 
Mason Miller has it 
 <a href="https://t.co/0EBw2P5NG7">pic.twitter.com/0EBw2P5NG7</a>
&mdash; Padres Nation (@NationPadres) <a href="https://twitter.com/NationPadres/status/1954383666987344317?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<h3 data-start="2594" data-end="2646">Jhoan Duran &#8211; RHP</h3>
Jhoan Duran, now the closer for the Philadelphia Phillies after being acquired from Minnesota, could also have been a strong fit for Toronto. Known for his electric stuff, Duran features a 97 mph splitter, a fastball topping 100 mph, and a sharp curveball. He has been one of the most dominant relievers in the game since making his debut in 2022, and owns a 2.43 ERA through 236 2/3 big league innings.
He was closing games in his first year in the big leagues and became the go-to arm late for the Twins in 2023, with 77 career saves under his belt so far.
This season, Duran has posted 19 saves in 52 1/3 innings. While expensive—likely costing two top prospects, a utility player, and possibly a reliever—he would have given the Blue Jays another elite closing option alongside Hoffman.
<hr />
<h3>Danny Coulombe &#8211; LHP</h3>
The <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/three-underrated-trade-targets-toronto-blue-jays-should-consider">Blue Jays</a> have two active left-handed relievers in their bullpen: Brendon Little and Mason Fluharty. Southpaws are a hot commodity, and the Blue Jays can use more of those options. A solid short reliever the Blue Jays could have pursued was Danny Coulombe. 
The 11-year veteran comes with service time, years of postseason experience, and effective pitchability.  Coulombe was most recently with the Minnesota Twins and was traded to the Texas Rangers before the deadline. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
Helloooo Danny Coulombe
One of the new Texas Rangers knocks out a 1-2-3 inning in his first appearance for the squad 🔥 <a href="https://t.co/iCbIaSdAuj">pic.twitter.com/iCbIaSdAuj</a>
&mdash; Rangers Nation ⚾️ (@rangers__nation) <a href="https://twitter.com/rangers__nation/status/1951499945564897514?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 2, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Within both teams in 2025, Coulombe has thrown 34 and 2/3 innings, striking out 36, walking 13, allowing four earned runs on 23 hits, and posting a 1.04 ERA. The southpaw has a five-pitch mix, with a mid-90s four-seam fastball, mid-90s sinker, a cutter and sweeper that are very effective. Coulombe misses bats and forces ground-outs. He’ll force weak contact and playable work for the defense. He has a 6.9% solid contact rate with a 2.3% barrel rate. 
The left-hander could have been beneficial situationally, batter matchup-wise, and in the late innings. 
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The <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/">Toronto Blue Jays</a> have entered August with meaningful September baseball in sight. The club made critical moves before the trade deadline to strengthen their roster, but given the current AL East competition, Toronto could have pushed for even more reinforcements.
The addition of Shane Bieber is significant, provided he returns healthy and can pitch at or above his baseline level. The arrival of Seranthony Domínguez and Louis Varland also gives a notable boost to a vulnerable bullpen.
This season, the entire Blue Jays pitching staff has posted a 4.28 ERA, while the bullpen holds a 4.09 ERA, a number that has gone up recently in a rough series against the Dodgers. This raises the question: Could Toronto have added more relief depth for the playoff push? 
Acquiring a top arm like the ones mentioned below would have cost the Jays some serious prospect or MLB-ready level talent, and rightfully so. However, for a team looking to contend this season, here are three players the Jays could have pursued this trade deadline to bolster the bullpen for their postseason push this year.


<hr data-start="1010" data-end="1013" />

<h3 data-start="1015" data-end="1070">Mason Miller - RHP</h3>
Closers are among the hardest players to acquire in baseball. Fortunately, Toronto already has Jeff Hoffman, with his 47 1/3 innings pitched, 26 saves, four blown saves, a 4.56 ERA, and a .216 opponent batting average.
However, <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/athletics-trade-mason-miller-padres-leo-de-vries">Mason Miller</a> could have been a game-changing addition. The former Athletics star, now with the San Diego Padres, ranks 13th among MLB closers in the save category, but that can mostly be attributed to the A's not giving their star many opportunities to save games. Miller boasts a powerhouse arsenal—a fastball reaching 102 mph, a darting slider, and a deceptive changeup.
The Padres paid a high price to acquire him, sending top prospect Leo De Vries and three prospect pitchers in the trade, while also acquiring left-hander JP Sears alongside the fireball closer. While expensive in prospect capital, pairing Miller with Hoffman could have created a lethal late-inning duo to lock down postseason games that would be unmatched compared to the rest of the Major Leagues.
https://twitter.com/NationPadres/status/1954383666987344317

<hr data-start="1837" data-end="1840" />

<h3 data-start="2594" data-end="2646">Jhoan Duran - RHP</h3>
Jhoan Duran, now the closer for the Philadelphia Phillies after being acquired from Minnesota, could also have been a strong fit for Toronto. Known for his electric stuff, Duran features a 97 mph splitter, a fastball topping 100 mph, and a sharp curveball. He has been one of the most dominant relievers in the game since making his debut in 2022, and owns a 2.43 ERA through 236 2/3 big league innings.
He was closing games in his first year in the big leagues and became the go-to arm late for the Twins in 2023, with 77 career saves under his belt so far.
This season, Duran has posted 19 saves in 52 1/3 innings. While expensive—likely costing two top prospects, a utility player, and possibly a reliever—he would have given the Blue Jays another elite closing option alongside Hoffman.


<hr />

<h3>Danny Coulombe - LHP</h3>
The <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/three-underrated-trade-targets-toronto-blue-jays-should-consider">Blue Jays</a> have two active left-handed relievers in their bullpen: Brendon Little and Mason Fluharty. Southpaws are a hot commodity, and the Blue Jays can use more of those options. A solid short reliever the Blue Jays could have pursued was Danny Coulombe. 

The 11-year veteran comes with service time, years of postseason experience, and effective pitchability.  Coulombe was most recently with the Minnesota Twins and was traded to the Texas Rangers before the deadline. 

https://twitter.com/rangers__nation/status/1951499945564897514

Within both teams in 2025, Coulombe has thrown 34 and 2/3 innings, striking out 36, walking 13, allowing four earned runs on 23 hits, and posting a 1.04 ERA. The southpaw has a five-pitch mix, with a mid-90s four-seam fastball, mid-90s sinker, a cutter and sweeper that are very effective. Coulombe misses bats and forces ground-outs. He’ll force weak contact and playable work for the defense. He has a 6.9% solid contact rate with a 2.3% barrel rate. 

The left-hander could have been beneficial situationally, batter matchup-wise, and in the late innings. 

<hr />

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