The Toronto Blue Jays have some work to do in order to get back in the AL East hunt. Coming off a World Series appearance, Toronto has had a bit of a slow start this season.
One player who could boost the Blue Jays’ chances of getting back into contention is Detroit Tigers star pitcher Tarik Skubal. The Athletic’s Jim Bowden ponders whether Toronto could “pay the price” for Skubal in order to give the team a boost.
At the center of the Blue Jays’ potential trade package would be shortstop JoJo Parker along with some combination of Johnny King, Gage Stanifer and Nolan Perry, per Bowden.
“I think the Blue Jays would have a difficult time winning the Skubal sweepstakes unless they included shortstop JoJo Parker, their top position player prospect, and either left-hander Johnny King or both right-handers Gage Stanifer and Nolan Perry,” Bowden wrote in a June 1, 2026, story titled, “Who will trade for Tarik Skubal? Breaking down the Tigers’ 7 best options.”
“Shortstop Arjun Nimmala could also come up in conversations. However, the Blue Jays might just pay the price, knowing how close they came to winning the World Series last year and how Skubal would really improve their chances this year.”
Here’s what you need to know about the latest Blue Jays rumors.
Blue Jays Rumors: Could Toronto Trade JoJo Parker to Land a Big Star?
Parker was the No. 8 overall pick in the 2025 MLB draft. Here’s how MLB.com described Parker’s outlook as a prospect.
“Parker has a powerful left-handed swing, but he’s able to keep his hacks in control, impressing pre-Draft evaluators with the way he manages the strike zone,” MLB.com detailed. “There was already a feel to add loft in his swing, though he tended more toward line drives, and with work from Blue Jays strength training, he could get to plus power in the future. Toronto officials already see adding muscle as a major opportunity to grow Parker’s profile.
“… A move to third base could come down the line, considering his above-average arm strength would be a fit. But the Jays intend to give him plenty of opportunities at the more premium position, knowing his bat will likely be his greatest strength anyways.”
MLB Rumors: The Tigers Trending Towards Trading Tarik Skubal
Skubal is headed for a sizable payday, but for now the star pitcher is on a one-year, $32 million contract. The pitcher’s projected market value is a nine-year, $379 million contract, per Spotrac.
There is a growing buzz that the Tigers will look to move Skubal before the MLB trade deadline on August 3. Detroit is “trending” towards cutting ties with Skubal via trade, per Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal.
“It’s trending that way,” Rosenthal noted in the May 30, MLB on Fox pregame show. “Talking with people around the game, that is their feeling. The outlook right now is rather bleak, and honestly, it’s difficult to imagine them making up a 14-game under .500 deficit, getting back to .500, and then contending even in a weak American League.
“So the question becomes, ‘Will Skubal be healthy enough?’ It’s what we don’t know.”
Time will tell if the Blue Jays will enter the Skubal sweepstakes.
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