Toronto Blue Jays trade chatter now targets Ricky Tiedemann as spring training gets closer.
On Thursday flat-out argued Toronto should deal Tiedemann' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>Tiedemann before camp, basically saying his value is still built on projection. The point was not that he is bad, it was that timing can turn an asset into a headache.
Tiedemann is only 23, a lefty with legit prospect shine, and Toronto protected him on the 40-man in November. MLB.com noted he was the lone player added ahead of the Rule 5 deadline, which tells you the organization still believes.
The problem is the “win now” posture is not subtle anymore. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is locked in on a 14-year, $500 million extension, and this front office has clearly decided the window is open, not theoretical.
Then December hit and Toronto made another statement by signing right-hander Dylan Cease to seven years and $210 million.
That kind of contract does not come with patience speeches, it comes with October expectations.
Ricky Tiedemann trade talk tests Toronto Blue Jays
Still, the health timeline is the whole conversation. MLB.com has tied Tiedemann's absence to Tommy John surgery in late July 2024, and the “when will he actually pitch” question is real roster stress.
What makes this tricky is that upside is exactly what Toronto keeps trying to buy in other ways.
Cease is a swing for dominance, and Guerrero is the franchise's long-term spine, so you can see why the idea of a controllable lefty still matters.
Tiedemann also is not some mystery flyer. He was Toronto's third-round pick in 2021, 91st overall, and he has been on the fast track since day one, which is why this debate even exists.
My take is I would not trade him just to “clean up” the 40-man spreadsheet.
If the return is a real everyday bat or a high-leverage bullpen piece that changes the playoff math, then we can talk.
Otherwise, Toronto should remember what October taught them, depth wins series.
The next milestone is simple, get Tiedemann to camp healthy, then let his first real outings answer the loudest question.
Should the Toronto Blue Jays trade Ricky Tiedemann before spring training?
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