TORONTO — The roster remake has started in earnest.

J.A. Happ, Seunghwan Oh, Steve Pearce … all out the door.

There’s more to come, too, and it won’t stop when the calendar flips to August and waivers come into play.

With less than 96 hours to go until Tuesday’s 4 p.m. ET non-waiver deadline, Blue Jays GM Ross Atkins has no shortage of chips to peddle, even if most of them are either hurt, come with significant contract obstacles, or have underperformed and in some cases, all three.

Atkins is on the record saying he’ll listen on controllable assets, but isn’t aggressively shopping them. 

Without the 44-year-old GM naming names, that group presumably includes Marcus Stroman, Roberto Osuna and Aaron Sanchez, all of whom have seen their value diminish for various reasons since the season began.

Barring Atkins being blown away by a surprise offer, it’s extremely unlikely his three most valuable pitching commodities are moved before the off-season, if at all.

Ryan Tepera, Yangervis Solarte and Justin Smoak are three more names under contractual control who could draw interest.

Tepera, who has a 2.74 ERA and won’t become a free agent until after the 2021 season, is especially intriguing.

But in the case of all three, crowded relief, middle infield and corner bat markets won’t benefit Atkins.

And then there’s Josh Donaldson.

Once seen as the key to kickstarting a rebuild, injury and poor performance have conspired to leave Donaldson, an MVP just three years ago, with little in the way of trade value.

A hot stretch in August may change that, but it’s a wait-and-see situation.

His calf injury has progressed after a setback earlier this month, although he’s not yet at the point of a rehab assignment.

Marco Estrada is in a similar situation as his injury problems have gone from his left glute to a blister on his finger, but he’s expected to start Monday in Oakland.

Throughout the roster, there are bit parts and reclamation projects that could be moved if a match is found, but the focus is still on turning expiring contracts into future value, an endeavour that will have to involve some positive injury news and some good fortune.


Here’s a look at 20 veterans on the roster, ranked by potential trade value:

 

1—SP Marcus Stroman

For the most part, he’s pitched well since coming off the DL, with a 3.03 ERA in six starts since June 23. But that 5.42 ERA, overall, is unsightly and teams will be trying to buy low. The only way he’s moving is if someone offers value commensurate with the 3.09 ERA Stroman posted in 201 innings last season. That’s highly unlikely right now. He’s signed through 2020.

 

2—RP Roberto Osuna

If it weren’t for his legal troubles, Osuna would be No. 1 on this list. After all, the price tag for elite relievers has proven it can be franchise-altering. Add in two more seasons of contractual control and you should have a highly-coveted asset. Away from the field, he’s covered in red flags. Like Stroman, waiting it out would be prudent.

 

3—SP Aaron Sanchez

We’re approaching two years now since we last saw Sanchez pitch at any sort of above-average level. You don’t trade 26-year-olds with electric arms when their value is in the ditch. Noticing a theme here?

 

4—RP Ryan Tepera

Finally, a player getting results alongside a coveted contract situation. Tepera had an elbow scare earlier this month, but he’s returned with three scoreless appearances and his velocity intact. He’s arguably the most valuable realistic trade chip on the roster right now.

 

5—3B Josh Donaldson

He hasn’t been seen since the end of May and his season slash line stands at a putrid .234/.333/.423 with just five home runs in 36 games. Still, Donaldson is capable of carrying a team when he’s hot and Atkins might be able to find a contender willing to take a calculated gamble if he can get back on the field next month. It might be better to trade him for whatever you can get than face a qualifying offer decision in November.

 

6—1B Justin Smoak

Of all qualified first basemen across baseball, Smoak sits sixth with a 130 wRC+. There aren’t many teams looking for first base bat, however, making it tough to find a match. The Jays have an $8 million club option on Smoak for 2019.

 

7—RP Tyler Clippard

He’s endured some late-game collapses, but Clippard’s ERA is still an acceptable 3.54 and he’s got some post-season experience. He’s miscast as a setup guy at this stage, but he could provide bullpen depth.

 

8—SP Marco Estrada

A DL stint for a left glute strain came at an inopportune time, interrupting his best stretch of the season. Now, Estrada has a blister problem, but he’s scheduled for a showcase start Monday, ahead of Tuesday’s non-waiver deadline.

 

9—OF Curtis Granderson

The Philadelphia Phillies reportedly called about the veteran outfielder earlier this week. With a .768 OPS against right-handed pitching, he could be useful to a contender.

 

10—3B/2B Yangervis Solarte

He’s hitting home runs at a career high rate, but his defence and base-running aren’t anything to write home about and he’s grounded into the most double plays in baseball. There are 2019 and 2020 club options at $5.5 million and $8 million, respectively.

 

11—C Luke Maile

If you’re going by fWAR, Maile, amazingly, has been the 13th most valuable catcher in baseball this season, providing 1.1 Wins Above Replacement, mainly thanks to his strong defence. Clearing a spot for top prospect Danny Jansen is going to be a priority at some point.

 

12—RP John Axford

The crowded relief market isn’t going to help Axford’s value as a 35-year-old with a 4.69 ERA, but he’s a “proven commodity” and that might mean something to someone.

 

13—RP Aaron Loup

Similar to Axford, Loup is carrying a 4.76 ERA, which isn’t good. But advanced metrics say he’s pitched better (3.66 FIP), and he’s a lefty.

 

14—OF Kevin Pillar

Heading into his thirties, Pillar fits best as a fourth outfielder, especially in the National League where his defensive ability and base-running could be maximized in late-game situations. But he’s hurt, so there’s no current market.

 

15—SP Jaime Garcia

What a difference a year makes. Traded three times in the span of eight months in exchange for a bevy of prospects, Garcia’s 5.64 ERA has left him with zero value. Banished to the bullpen, Garcia has three straight scoreless relief appearances under his belt, but that doesn’t change the fact he’s been terrible for most of the season.

 

16—OF Randal Grichuk

Unless they’re just moving on for the sake of moving on, Grichuk doesn't have a market. He’ll play every day for the Jays for the next two months, hoping to prove he deserves a full-time gig in 2019.

 

17—SS Aledmys Diaz

Same as Grichuk. Diaz is a bench piece for most teams, but he’ll continue to play in Toronto and audition for 2019.

 

18—2B Devon Travis

Another player auditioning for a future role, Travis has managed to stay healthy this season, but the production has not been exciting. With a glut of infielders, Travis is more likely a demotion candidate than a trade candidate. He has enjoyed a solid month of July with a .333 average in 15 games.

 

19—C Russell Martin

Making $20 million this season, Martin is hitting .174 and his defence has slipped considerably. He’s got another $20 million coming to him in 2019, too.

 

20—DH Kendrys Morales

Owed $12 million next season, Morales isn’t going anywhere. You might not even find a taker if you offered to pay 100 per cent of that.