Pedro Martinez made a habit of dominating the Toronto Blue Jays during his Hall of Fame career. He made 20 starts against them — the bulk of which came during his prime with the Boston Red Sox — and went 9-4 with a 2.98 ERA.
In an X post on May 20, Martinez took the Blue Jays to task again.
“The team doesn’t look like it has what it takes,” Martinez wrote. “I love the team but there’s something missing. It’s not just pitching. They need more.”
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Martinez, now an analyst for TBS, went on to make a couple educated guesses in a pair of follow-up posts.
Read one: “Is it the absence of (Bo) Bichette and (Alejandro) Kirk? Everything seems out of sink” [sic].
“Normally both teams that go to the World Series experience a type of hangover from playing so long and not resting, but this team hasn’t been totally healthy and I don’t see it right now,” read the next. “They might have to move in a different direction. Maybe add some players.”
Martinez’s suggestions aren’t off base for a team that’s 21-27 yet still has ample hope for returning to the postseason. Despite their slow start, the Blue Jays began the day May 20 only two games behind the Texas Rangers for the third and final American League Wild Card berth.
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A trade could move the needle — in the Wild Card race if not in the AL East, where the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays are already putting first place out of reach for the other three teams.
Kirk has reportedly caught one of rehabbing pitcher Shane Bieber’s side sessions. He fractured his thumb on a fluke play in April, depriving the Blue Jays of their starting catcher and a reliable middle-of-the-order bat.
Getting Kirk back, as well as Bieber and possibly Max Scherzer, could go a long way. Addison Barger and Nathan Lukes, a pair of injured left-handed hitting outfielders, were instrumental in the Blue Jays’ run to the World Series last year. Both could be valuable role players again.
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George Springer’s 65 OPS+ at DH sticks out like a sore thumb. Otherwise, the Blue Jays’ poor performances have been spread somewhat evenly across the board.
Few teams are bending over backwards for Bichette, who signed with the Mets in January and has looked more like the 2024 version of himself than the All-Star caliber hitter he was last year in Toronto. Bichette is slashing .224/.277/.332 in Queens, where a change of scenery is helping his bank account but little else.
Contending teams usually make trades in advance of the deadline; this year’s is August 3. The Jays have already acquired backup infielder Lenyn Sosa from the Chicago White Sox, but he’s barely hit (.206/.203/.309) in 23 games since.
There’s plenty of time for the Blue Jays to do a deal. Getting their regulars healthy might help more.
