The Toronto Blue Jays were right on the doorstep of winning their first World Series title since 1993 last October, but with two outs to go in Game 7, the Los Angeles Dodgers came back to tie the game and later win in extra innings.

The Blue Jays still look like a threat to win a title, though, and may be the biggest threat to the Dodgers’ reign as back-to-back champions. They loaded up on starting pitching over the winter and have a strong rotation.

However, the Blue Jays will likely be buyers at the trade deadline as long as they are in contention. Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report named right-hander Luis Severino as a possible early trade chip and listed the Blue Jays as a possible fit.

“Severino’s surplus value suggests he isn’t worth what he’s being paid, and there is some truth to that. He only had a 4.54 ERA last year,” Rymer wrote. His strikeout rate deteriorated to only 6.9 per nine innings.

“His stuff is still good, though, and two splits from 2025 make him look salvageable: a 3.02 ERA away from Sacramento, and a 3.10 ERA in the second half.”

Toronto Blue Jays Named Fit for Luis Severino

The Blue Jays have a strong starting rotation, but that depth took a bit of a hit on Monday night when Cody Ponce left the game with a gruesome knee injury. Depending on how long Ponce is out, the Blue Jays may need to make a move or two at the trade deadline to beef up their starting rotation.

Though Severino struggled last year with the Athletics, he performed well in 2024 with the New York Mets, posting a 3.91 ERA. He also was a two-time All-Star with the New York Yankees earlier in his career.

When healthy, he can be a solid source of veteran innings, and if the Athletics ultimately fall out of contention, then a contending team could take a chance on Severino, who has just one year left on his contract.

The fact that he is a pitcher on an expiring contract could make him a valuable commodity at the deadline and could force a contender to pay a hefty price. But the Blue Jays went all-out last season in hopes of winning a title, and after getting so close, there’s no reason to believe that they won’t be willing to pay the price for a rental starter if it helps them improve their roster for the stretch run.

Severino Would Fit Well with Blue Jays

If the Athletics sell and Severino is one of their trade chips, then the Blue Jays would make sense for him. They could use another veteran presence, even with all of the depth that they have, and Severino might benefit from a return to the American League East, a division he is familiar with thanks to his days with the Yankees.

It will be interesting to see if he ends up being moved at the deadline and where he might end up. The Blue Jays would be an interesting fit.