Daulton Varsho is the name The Athletic expects to be wearing a new uniform once the trade deadline passes, and Toronto's own reported approach backs that prediction up.
The Athletic's Mitch Bannon named Varsho as Toronto's most likely trade candidate in a July 24 piece covering one player from every team.
"Varsho is the Blue Jays' one expiring player who is both unlikely to re-sign in Toronto and, despite recent struggles, will have significant value on the trade market," Bannon wrote. "Any deadline selling from Toronto will include a Varsho trade."
Varsho is hitting .242 with seven home runs across 87 games this season, on a one-year, $10.7 million deal that leaves his future beyond 2026 completely uncertain.
Athlon Sports' Pat Ragazzo reported Toronto is already fielding calls, and Varsho isn't the only name on the list.
"The Blue Jays are listening on starting pitcher Kevin Gausman and center fielder Daulton Varsho," Ragazzo wrote. "Both players are on expiring contracts and are already drawing interest from rival contending teams ahead of the deadline."
Gausman's own season has fueled real speculation too, sitting at 4-8 with a 4.41 ERA across 20 starts, a former Gold Glove-caliber presence in his own right on the mound.
Why a specific group of contenders makes sense here
Ragazzo named the Phillies, Braves, Brewers, Rays and Astros as possible fits for both players, a real list of contenders needing exactly what Toronto has to offer.
That's a lot of interest circling two players on expiring deals, exactly the kind of situation that tends to produce a deal once the calendar gets close enough to August 3.
Toronto sits at 46-54, last in the American League East, the kind of record that's made moving pending free agents for future value the obvious path forward.
It's a bit like clearing out items before a move, knowing full well some of what's being packed away has real value to somebody else.
Does trading Varsho now while his value is still meaningful make more sense than risking his stock declining further amid this rough stretch?
Whatever happens over the next week and a half, Varsho's name looks like the surest bet to change addresses once the deadline actually arrives.
Are you ready to see Daulton Varsho traded away from the Blue Jays?
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