The Toronto Blue Jays are heating up in the AL East—now, they’re just three games behind the Yankees and fresh off a division win over the Red Sox. Spirits are high, sure. But if this team truly has October dreams, they’ve got some cracks to patch—starting with the one issue that’s haunted them all season: the starting rotation. With a critical stretch looming, the Jays may already have their eyes set on a seasoned fix—veteran arm from the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The Blue Jays’ pitching struggles are no secret. They’ve frequently built their rotation by investing heavily around the trade deadline. This time, with the team’s rotation ranking toward the bottom of the majors in ERA, the cracks are pretty evident. They currently sit third in the division with a 45–38 record, so it’s clear they’re going to be aggressive again at the deadline. With just less than five weeks to go, many candidates have been floated, but no one may fit better than Arizona’s Merrill Kelly, according to ex-MLB GM Jim Bowden.
Bowden has been spending time with GMs and presidents of all 30 teams while preparing an article for The Athletic, exploring trade possibilities. “I thought it was fascinating, and it was interesting in terms of Merrill Kelly. His name is mentioned quite a bit,” said Bowden in a conversation with Foul Territory. “I think there are a lot of executives who believe that when Arizona gets to the end of the month, they’ll be dealing him. And so the fact that that’s the Blue Jays’ biggest need — and the fact that I think Arizona probably is going to move one or two of those starters — I think it makes sense,” he added.
Multiple front office executives have told @JimBowdenGM they believe Merrill Kelly will get dealt at the trade deadline. pic.twitter.com/9y8Fn4jU7b
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) June 30, 2025
There’s no doubt that D’blacks is going to be a seller, even if they are returning suitors now. Why? Well, mainly because 20 of their games in July are against top-winning teams. And when they decide to move a starter, Kelly is the perfect option. The 36-year-old is 7–4 with a 3.49 ERA and 100 strikeouts, and he could easily be the missing piece in the Blue Jays’ rotation.
This would be nothing new for Toronto. They’ve always relied on veteran arms from outside. In fact, they’ve used around 12 different starting pitchers since the current GM took office, and none of them were homegrown. That’s a mess they can’t afford to ignore forever.
“While other clubs have stocked rotations with homegrown arms, the Jays have filled their pitching needs by handing out large contracts,” wrote Mitch Bannon of The Athletic. And he’s right. Even though the minors are producing talent, it’s all in vain if they can’t reach the major leagues. To put it simply, the original pipeline has gone dry, and the only real option left to shore up the staff is a trade. And if what Bowden says is true, there’s a good chance they’ll go after Kelly.
But if they want him, they’ll have to move fast, because the Jays aren’t the only ones waiting to land the veteran starter.
Cardinals to acquire Diamondbacks’ Merrill Kelly
With less than five weeks to the trade deadline, the MLB rumor mill is heating up, and front offices are busy running calculations. And this year, it is no secret that the market has a high demand for starting pitchers. It’s not just the Blue Jays who are struggling; the Cardinals are in desperate need, too. Sports Illustrated’s Nick Selbe and Will Laws recently listed Kelly as a top candidate in the market, and the St. Louis Cardinals as one of his most probable landing spots.
“Kelly has never made an All-Star team or garnered Cy Young votes, but he’s been one of the league’s most solid starters since coming over from the KBO [Korea Baseball Organization] in 2019,” they wrote. “The 36-year-old could make for a sneaky-good hired arm amid one of his best seasons, if the D-Backs elect to move him before he enters free agency in the winter,” the duo added.
His 3.49 ERA is a mark most Cardinals starters can’t seem to hit; only two of their pitchers currently have an ERA under 4.00, making him a perfect fit for their rotation. And with his $18 million, two-year deal set to expire after the season, there will definitely be a rush to get him. Not just the Cardinals, the Mets, and Cubs are also expected to be in the mix to pursue Kelly at the deadline.
What will be his final destination? Well, we won’t have to wait long; the trade deadline is fast approaching on the horizon.
The post Blue Jays Tipped to Land $18M Diamondbacks Veteran as Franchise Faces Major Trouble Warning appeared first on EssentiallySports.