George Springer Makes Major Trade Deadline Push

The Toronto Blue Jays are expected to make several trades ahead of the 2026 MLB trade deadline, which is set for August 3.

One of the players that Toronto is likely to deal is veteran designated hitter George Springer, who is playing out the final season of his six-year, $150 million free-agent contract that he signed with Toronto ahead of the 2021 season.

With the Blue Jays extremely unlikely to make the playoffs this year, the team will certainly sell off whatever pieces it can at the trade deadline in the hopes of landing some prospects for the future.

At age 36 and with his contract expiring, Springer will be one of the players that Toronto deals. Thankfully, he's been doing his part by increasing his trade value in recent weeks with a strong performance heading into the deadline.

George Springer Has Been Hot

The first thing to talk about with Springer is that in 2025, he was legitimately one of the best hitters in baseball.

Last season, Springer hit .309/.399/.560 for a .959 OPS and a 159 OPS+, indicating that his bat was 59% better than league average. He also added 32 home runs and 84 RBIs, and he won the Silver Slugger as the American League's top DH, while coming in seventh place in AL MVP voting.

As well, Springer had a terrific postseason and nearly helped lead the Blue Jays to the World Series, though they ultimately came up short in a seven-game loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

So far this season, Springer has not been able to replicate his numbers from last year, as Father Time has finally caught up to the veteran slugger.

In 2026, Springer has hit just .234/.317/.403 for a .719 OPS and a 96 OPS+, suggesting he has been 4% worse than league average with the bat. He's also experienced a bit of a power outage with just 12 home runs and 34 RBIs while also dealing with some injuries this season.

While his numbers for the year are down, he has been hitting much better in recent weeks, which is good news for the Blue Jays front office, as the trade deadline is just a few days away now.

Since the MLB All-Star break, Springer has been back to his 2025 self. He's hit .326/.392/.565 for a .957 OPS, which is similar to what his numbers were last year. He's also hit 3 home runs and had 12 RBIs in just 12 games since the All-Star break.

Springer has been doing his part to help the Blue Jays win and also increase his trade value at the same time.

While his overall season numbers are still poor compared to his career averages, the Blue Jays' management team will surely try to sell the fact that he's been crushing it in the second half of the season and try to market the second-half version of Springer as the hitter that any contender will get heading into the playoffs.

Where Could George Springer Go?

In terms of what teams could acquire Springer, there are certain boxes that he ticks off for a potential contender.

First, he is a right-handed hitter, so teams that need a lefty crusher should try to get Springer. This season, Springer has hit .268/.365/.439 for an .804 OPS against left-handed pitching. So, any team that needs a lefty masher should call Toronto about Springer.

Second, a team needs to have the DH spot open. While Springer has played in a few games in the outfield this season, given his old bones and declining range and speed on the grass, he is basically a pure DH at this point in his MLB career.

Third, a team needs to be a serious World Series contender. That's because Springer has a no-trade clause in his contract because of his 10-and-5 rights. When a player is in the MLB for 10 seasons and has played the past five seasons for the same team, they inherit a no-trade clause. So, Springer ultimately controls his trade destination.

Finally, and most importantly, the Blue Jays need to be able to reach a deal with whatever team acquires him to get back some prospects they want in return. The Blue Jays aren't just going to give up Springer for free, after all, so they need to find a team that matches their trade needs, and one that Springer is willing to waive his NTC for.

Some of the potential teams that check most of these boxes include the Boston Red Sox, the New York Yankees, the Cleveland Guardians, and the Houston Astros, his former club, where he was named World Series MVP in 2017 when he won his first and only World Series ring.

Ultimately, Springer is very likely to be traded by the August 3 MLB trade deadline. While he's been a good soldier for Toronto over six seasons, the team is not making the playoffs this year, and it's the right thing for both sides to let him go to a contender he's willing to join.

It's been a good six seasons for Springer in Toronto, but time has run its course, and it's time for both parties to say goodbye to each other.