The Toronto Blue Jays are stuck near the bottom of the American League at 45-51, and yet they're only 2.5 games out of the final wild card spot.
That gap keeps the buyer conversation alive, and Arizona could end up being the trade partner that makes the most sense for Toronto's rotation needs.
The Diamondbacks have struggled with consistency of their own this season and could turn into sellers, putting three specific arms squarely in Toronto's line of sight.
Eduardo Rodriguez is the headliner. He's 8-3 with a 2.29 ERA and 79 strikeouts this season, exactly the kind of high-impact lefty who slots right into the middle of a rotation that badly needs one.
Questions about his future in Arizona have come up all year, and if he actually gets shopped, Toronto should be one of the first calls.
Michael Soroka offers a similar profile from the other side. He's also 8-3 with a 3.07 ERA and 79 strikeouts, a strong bounce-back season for a former All-Star who's rebuilt real value.
Both pitchers would represent a genuine upgrade for a Blue Jays staff that's dealt with shaky performances from Shane Bieber and Kevin Gausman for much of this stretch.
Why Merrill Kelly could be the low-cost buy-low option
Kelly is the riskier name of the three, sitting at 7-8 with a 5.38 ERA across 16 appearances this season.
But he posted a 3.52 ERA or lower in three of his four previous seasons before this one, making him the kind of pitcher who might just need a change of scenery to get back on track.
That profile fits the kind of buy-low swing a team like Toronto can afford to take without giving up real prospect capital.
It's a bit like buying a car with one rough year on the odometer but a strong maintenance history everywhere else.
Toronto likely won't want to spend top prospects on rentals in a season where a playoff spot is anything but guaranteed.
Still, with the rest of the American League looking just as flawed, paying a little extra for real impact arms like Rodriguez or Soroka could be worth the gamble.
Does a wild card race this muddled justify Toronto being aggressive, or does a 45-51 record mean the smarter move is standing pat and protecting the future?
Should the Blue Jays trade for Eduardo Rodriguez or Michael Soroka even with a losing record right now?
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