When any team starts a rebuild, the focus and priority shifts to making sure that the young talent gets proper playing time and development opportunities. That’s exactly what’s happening in Toronto right now, and why we’re hearing rumours that Russell Martin is being shopped, which would open playing time for Danny Jansen and Reese McGuire.
It’s why the Blue Jays also traded away veterans last year like Josh Donaldson, J.A. Happ, Curtis Granderson, and even John Axford. They wanted to get some sort of return for those players before they each hit the free agent market, but it was also about making sure that guys like Ryan Borucki, Billy McKinney, and many more had an opportunity in the second half of the season.