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MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - JUNE 22: Joe Ryan #41 of the Minnesota Twins celebrates his complete game shutout against the Boston Red Sox with teammate Byron Buxton #25 after the game at Target Field on June 22, 2023 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Twins defeated the Red Sox 6-0. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)

The Toronto Blue Jays are hitting a wall. After letting go of star shortstop Bo Bichette and losing out in the Kyle Tucker sweepstakes, it looks like the Jays dodged two bullets, at least to this point. Unfortunately, starting pitching hasn’t panned out, and recent mock trades have Toronto in the market for Twins’ ace Joe Ryan. 

MLB Analyst Has Blue Jays Acquiring Joe Ryan 

In a recent post by @fdsportsbook and @ben_verlander, they had the Jays trading for Minnesota’s finest arm. 

Ryan, 29, is having another great year after his first All-Star selection last season. Through 12 games started, the right-hander owns a 2.94 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, and an ERA+ of 144. As of now, he’s en route to back-to-back midsummer classics. 

Ryan finds his success via a hard fastball with plenty of ‘rise,’ and a nasty splitter. At least, that was the old recipe. 

This season, he’s taken what made him so great, kept it around, and changed up the vibes. 

Ryan’s knuckle curve has been the star of the show. Opponents are batting .079 against the hook, and when you team that with his electric fastball and vanishing split-finger, he can be almost unhittable. 

The Blue Jays Could Use Some Help In Their Starting Rotation 

After Dylan Cease recently went on the injured list with a hamstring strain, Toronto is running short-staffed. 

In addition to the Cease news, the Jays have suffered injuries from Jose Berrios, Shane Bieber, Bowden Francis, Max Scherzer, and offseason acquisition Cody Ponce. So basically, an entire rotation is hurt, and the Blue Jays are only one game below .500. 

It speaks to the depth of their roster that the Jays have mustered such a start. Through thick and thin, Canada’s finest have endured. 

If Ryan were to be added, the Blue Jays would have an almost “Dodgers-like” approach. With so many quality arms on the shelf, Toronto would only need to sneak into the playoffs to be a contender. 

Similarly, although they do anything but ‘sneak,’ the Dodgers often house injury-prone hurlers and allow them to take it easy until October comes. Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, and Roki Sasaki have all succumbed to this approach. That’s not to say Dodgers’ pitching is getting hurt on purpose or taking extra time off, but when you have such a surplus of starters, you also have the luxury to ensure their health. 

What’s Coming For Toronto If 2026 Is a Lost Season? 

The AL East is a complete mind-tornado right now. 

What was thought to be the most competitive division in MLB has quickly become riddled with mediocrity. 

The Red Sox have been deemed “MLB’s most embarrassing team” by certain analysts. The Orioles are ten games back and nearly have a stalled prospect for every letter of the alphabet, and the Blue Jays have been hit with a case of IL-plague. 

While all of the bad luck has made its way to the aforementioned teams, the Tampa Bay Rays have been gleaming in their return to Tropicana Field. They currently sit atop the AL East, with a record of 34-19. 

To top it all off, the Yankees‘ solid start looks undeniable.

If Toronto can’t find a way to compete this season, there will be some tough decisions to make. Lots of their talent is on the wrong side of 30, and Father Time waits for no man. Iceman dropped, and it’s getting cold, fast.