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It's no surprise that the Blue Jays are looking for relief help, as they have a 3.75 bullpen ERA. That mark is good for 22nd best in the MLB, not something that a team competing for a division title would like to have.
With the American League East being so wide open / average / putrid, it may not take much for the Blue Jays to fix their bullpen and take off with the division.
Enter Rafael Soriano. The former Yankees and Nationals closer has been in the news a lot lately and (credit to his agent) is linked to a number of teams. He plans on having an open showcase for teams this week and the Blue Jays are one of the teams that could be in attendance.
General manager Alex Anthopoulos admitted on Friday that the bullpen is something he wants to upgrade, and that Rafael Soriano is someone that he plans to look into.
If Soriano doesn't pan out, Anthopoulos and the Blue Jays front office have a plan-B. Dioner Navarro. Anthopoulous openly talked about his backup catcher as a trade peice, one that could fetch the team the bullpen help they so desperately desire.
In 11 games this season, Navarro has hit .268 with a .304 on-base percentage. Last season, as the primary catcher, Navarro hit .274 with a .317 on-base percentage and 12 home-runs and 69 RBIs in 139 games. He did all of that at age 30, so there is something left in the tank for Navarro.
One could wonder if the Phillies, who are trying to rebuild, would take on a 31-year-old catcher. Navarro is a free agent at the end of the season, and with Carlos Ruiz being age 36, Navarro could take over for a couple of years.
Anthopoulos said he didn't expect a trade to happen before tonight's draft. The closer and closer the baseball world gets to the magical July 31st trade deadline, the more the phones heat up. Dioner Navarro may be the casualty that gets the Blue Jays a closer, and a potential American League East title.