Weekly Takes - Monday, August 5 Edition

Weekly Takes - Monday, August 5 Edition

1. The Blue Jays made out like bandits in the Yusei Kikuchi trade, trading a declining starting pitcher with concerning dips in velo for two legitimate, big-league ready prospects.

It is a shocking win for the Jays, who will need to continue it into their offseason with a lot more players to unload and long-term holes to fill.

2. So, what are the next steps?

For me, everything they do has to be with 2026 in mind. That is when they should be aiming to compete again.

That means trading Chris Bassitt and Chad Green (trading them at the deadline would have been the cherry on top to a great week by Ross Atkins), building Jordan Romano's value back up to trade him at the 2025 deadline, trading Bo Bichette and George Springer in the offseason, and re-signing Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Ideally, by this time next year, the only players (not including pre-arb and arb players) that they have under contract for 2026 is Guerrero Jr., Jose Berrios, and maybe Kevin Gausman.

That will allow them to have lots of money to spend to build around Guerrero Jr. and allow them to build their farm system up even more.

Some of those players will make impacts in Toronto, while others can be traded for big-league help.

That is what this era has lacked. They have been a salaried-out team with no goods to sell.

3. Let's be clear about something too: Trading Bichette is a must in the offseason.

They are not going to re-sign him, that much is obvious. So that leaves trading him or letting him walk. They cannot drag this out into the 2025 season and risk him getting injured. They have to nail a potential Bichette trade.

4. It should not be Atkins making the deal, either.

He had a good trade deadline, yes. But he had a good trade deadline as a seller.

Nine seasons into the job, the Jays should not be selling.

5. Anyone who called for the CNWT to be sent home from the Olympics or anyone who called for the defunding of Soccer Canada had no right to cheer for the players as they accomplish the amazing feats that they accomplished.

They did it in spite of you people, because unlike the fake outrage masses, they have pride and a sense of togetherness.

6. The CNWT has a scoring problem, however.

Their defence and midfield is world class, but it would be nice to develop a world class forward to bring everything together.