Blue Jays unlikely to trade 'crown jewel' All-Star starter at deadline

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Blue Jays unlikely to trade 'crown jewel' All-Star starter at deadline originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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The Toronto Blue Jays are in the American League Wild Card mix. 

How they've managed to stay competitive despite battling countless injuries to their starting rotation is borderline miraculous. 

They are still waiting on a breakout from George Springer and a power surge from Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who has hit just three home runs in 270 trips to the plate. 

Regardless of their struggles, the Blue Jays should be just good enough to avoid selling at this year's trade deadline.

Bleacher Report's Kerry Miller wrote Monday that something would have to go terribly wrong for Toronto to consider trading a two-time All-Star. 

"[Kevin] Gausman is the clear crown jewel of that bunch. However, after making the World Series last year and doubling down with all sorts of new investments this past offseason, Toronto would have to really bottom out over the course of its next 50 games in order to admit defeat and embrace a fire sale," Miller wrote about the 35-year-old's chances of getting traded. "Still, we'll mention him here, just in case." 

Gausman is 4-4 with a 3.60 ERA while averaging 8.9 strikeouts per nine innings this season. 

MORE: Cubs’ cost to trade for Tarik Skubal from Tigers revealed by ex-MLB GM

One significant reason the Blue Jays could consider trading him at the deadline is that he's playing on an expiring contract. Sometimes it's best to maximize return value rather than let the year play out. 

Gausman played a major role in last year's postseason run, and the Blue Jays would almost certainly rather see him do it at the Rogers Centre than somewhere else. 

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