MLB Rumour Roundup: Who will Blue Jays target as trade deadline approaches?

With the Baltimore Orioles trading for Shintaro Fujinami Wednesday night, this year’s trade market is officially open for business.

As the trade deadline slowly approaches, speculation about which players could be on the move has begun to swirl. As always, pitching is all the rage, as teams across the majors are working to figure out where they fit in the post-season picture with less than two weeks remaining before Aug. 1.

Here’s a look at some of the latest rumours from around MLB:

Speaking to reporters before Wednesday’s game against the San Diego Padres, without completely divulging his deadline plans, Toronto Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins gave a blueprint for what fans might be able to expect.

He suggested that the team is “better suited for” and that there “might be a slight lean for a right-handed bat.” 

Atkins also addressed where the team could look to bolster its pitching staff, saying they could look at “creating depth in [their] left-handed relief category” and that when looking at adding rotation depth, “the ability to option someone also becomes exceptionally valuable.”

With all that said, which potentially available players fit those descriptions?

Thursday morning on Jays Talk Plus, Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith put together a list of outfielders that could fit the bill of what the Blue Jays are looking for, including Tommy Pham and Mark Canha of the New York Mets, Ramon Laureano of the Oakland Athletics, Jurickson Profar of the Colorado Rockies and Pittsburgh Pirates legend Andrew McCutchen.

Will he stay, or will he go? The headliner of this year's trade deadline, Shohei Ohtani and his Los Angeles Angels are fighting to stay in playoff contention. After sweeping the New York Yankees this week, the Angels are just five games back of the final wild-card spot.

Regardless, the Orioles have emerged as a popular landing spot for MLB's home run leader.

"The Orioles really do have a lot of appeal as a potential trade partner," MLB Network's Jon Morosi said Monday. He highlighted the young talent in their farm system as something that could entice the Angels to bite the bullet and move Ohtani.

Morosi, however, flagged the blister that Ohtani has been dealing with on his pitching hand as something that could cause Baltimore to "move on from thinking about [Ohtani]."

The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal wrote Wednesday that the "Orioles should go for it" if Ohtani were to come available.

Like Morosi, he cited Baltimore's deep farm system, which has seven players in the top 77 of Baseball America's latest prospect update, as a means to make a deal. He also called Ohtani "perfectly suited" as a left-handed hitter at Camden Yards and top-of-the-rotation pitcher on a team that lacks a true ace.

After losing key starters to injury earlier in the season, the Tampa Bay Rays and Houston Astros are reportedly both shopping for rotation help.

On Thursday, Morosi reported that Detroit Tigers all-star righty Michael Lorenzen is drawing interest from both the Rays and Astros.

Lorenzen was the Tigers' lone representative at the Midsummer Classic and, after throwing seven-shutout innings against the Kansas City Royals Thursday, hasn't allowed a run in three straight outings.

Another starter Tampa Bay has been "doing homework on" is Chicago Cubs right-hander Marcus Stroman. On the Onto Waveland podcast, Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney reported the Rays' interest in the nine-year MLB veteran.

They have also "engaged in trade talks" with the Chicago White Sox about Lance Lynn and have been "extensively scouting" St. Louis Cardinals pitchers Jordan Montgomery and Jack Flaherty, according to USA Today's Bob Nightengale.

Jon Heyman of The New York Post reported the Astros' interest in Stroman, saying Houston "would love" to get White Sox starter Dylan Cease "but will eye Stroman as their best realistic option."

With a mid-season surge that has them in the thick of the race for the NL Central, Morosi says the Cincinnati Reds have "checked with the White Sox" in their search for starting pitching.

While Morosi called a Cease trade "less likely," Chicago also has veteran right-handers Lucas Giolito and Lynn drawing interest.

Giolito has also drawn interest from the Los Angeles Dodgers, Morosi said, suggesting they may be a natural fit for the 29-year-old, given his Los Angeles roots and the team's deep farm system.

Just two games back of the AL Central lead — with a 47-49 record — "there's no chance" the Cleveland Guardians will trade Shane Bieber, according to The Athletic's Zack Meisel.

Currently on the injured list, there's "too much uncertainty" around the 2020 AL Cy Young winner's timetable, Meisel said.

However, if teams are looking to the Guardians' rotation, "the chance of a deal has increased" surrounding right-hander Aaron Civale, per Morosi.

Civale becomes arbitration-eligible for the first time this off-season and won't reach free agency until after the 2025 season, meaning teams would get him for a little more than two years if they trade for the 28-year-old.

• According to ESPN's Buster Olney, Canha has drawn interest from around the league, with the Seattle Mariners emerging as a potential match after showing interest in the nine-year veteran in the past.

• When it comes to the Cardinals, Heyman reported that they won't trade star third baseman Nolan Arenado unless he requests to be dealt and that they are more likely to sell Flaherty than Montgomery.

• In his column on Wednesday, Rosenthal called an all-in approach "unlikely" for the New York Yankees. Instead, he suggested the team will "try to buy and sell."