6 starting pitchers the Toronto Blue Jays should target ahead of trade deadline

The Toronto Blue Jays are in a much different position heading into the trade deadline than most envisioned entering the season.

Everybody seemingly thought the Blue Jays would miss the playoffs this year after a disappointing 2024 season and a seemingly ugly offseason when it came to acquisitions. It turns out this roster was much better than we all thought, as they currently sit first in the AL-East with a 54-39 record.

A recent 10-game winning streak all but guaranteed that, come the July 31 trade deadline, the Blue Jays will be attempting to make some moves to give them a shot at a World Series.

One area that could use some improvement is their pitching rotation. There are no shortages of arms available, and these six in particular would be very solid targets for GM Ross Atkins.

Freddy Peralta (Milwaukee Brewers)

• 2025 stats: 19 starts, 10-4, 2.74 ERA

Despite the Milwaukee Brewers being in a wild-card spot, Freddy Peralta’s name has been generating a ton of buzz as the deadline inches closer. The 29-year-old, who is one of the more underrated starting pitchers in the game, was recently named an All-Star for the second time in his career.

Peralta has attempted to work out an extension with the Brewers, though reports have suggested the two sides weren’t close. This could lead to a deal, as any package to acquire him would be significant. For the Jays, it makes a ton of sense, as he’s appeared in 30 or more games the past two seasons, and would undoubtedly be on the mound come the playoffs.

Mitch Keller (Pittsburgh Pirates)

• 2025 stats: 19 starts, 3-10, 3.58 ERA

Would the Pittsburgh Pirates be willing to trade Mitch Keller? The 29-year-old is a very solid pitcher who is under contract through the 2028 season. There is certainly no need to trade him, though his name is being discussed in trade rumours.

The Pirates need to improve other areas of their roster, and moving Keller would certainly help them with that. From the Jays’ perspective, they would receive a pitcher in the prime of his career who is locked up for several more years. He would be a great get, but certainly wouldn’t come cheap.

Zac Gallen (Arizona Diamondbacks)

• 2025 stats: 19 starts, 7-9, 5.15 ERA

Zac Gallen has likely cost himself a lot of money. The pending free agent, who was an All Star in 2023, is having an ugly season to date, posting a 5.15 ERA through 19 starts with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Gallen hadn’t posted an ERA above 3.65 over the past three seasons, including a 2.54 ERA in 31 starts. This season is certainly an anomaly, which makes it likely that several teams, including the Blue Jays, feel they could get Gallen back on track.

Edward Cabrera (Miami Marlins)

• 2025 stats: 15 starts, 3-3, 3.33 ERA

Heading into the 2025 season, the Miami Marlins’ biggest trade chip was expected to be Sandy Alcantara, but his struggles have changed that dramatically. Instead, there’s another pitcher of their’s generating plenty of interest in Edward Cabrera.

Cabrera is having a phenomenal 2025 season, posting a 3.33 ERA through 78.1 innings. He’s never pitched north of 100 innings in a season, which may be a cause for concern, though the 27-year-old could be a Jays target if some other names on their list are no longer available.

Zack Littell (Tampa Bay Rays)

• 2025 stats: 19 starts, 8-7, 3.56 ERA

Zack Littell is far from the hottest name available, but he is the epitome of consistency. He doesn’t have any pitches that will blow you away, but he walks almost no batters and can be counted on to go out and deliver six solid innings more often than not.

The Tampa Bay Rays are in a playoff position, but have rotation depth, which has resulted in Littell’s name coming up in trade speculation. Moving him would help the Rays address other needs, while giving the acquiring team, potentially the Jays, a solid arm to add to their respective rotation.

Merrill Kelly (Arizona Diamondbacks)

• 2025 stats: 19 starts, 7-5, 3.41 ERA

Another very underrated starting pitcher who is likely to be available is Merrill Kelly. The Diamondbacks starter has never gotten a whole lot of credit throughout his career, despite posting some impressive ERA statlines over his seven MLB seasons.

Kelly has been rock solid once again in 2025, posting a 3.41 ERA through 111 innings. The pending free agent would be a very sneaky pick up for the Blue Jays, and is a name the fan base should be keeping an eye on over the next few weeks.

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