Deadline: Here’s the Blue Jays’ ideal target, according to Jim Bowden

There's now less than a month left until the MLB trade deadline. This means we should increasingly expect to see trades in the Manfred era.

And, at the same time, teams will have to decide whether they want to buy or sell.

This is particularly true for the Toronto Blue Jays, who still have a real chance of making the playoffs as a wild-card team. Many teams in the American League are struggling, and that opens the door for the Jays.

And Jim Bowden, in an article for The Athletic, has identified the ideal target for every team that's likely to be a buyer. That includes the Blue Jays.

And for Toronto, the player he'd target is Spencer Steer. We're talking about a Reds player who's versatile (he can play first base, third base, and left field) and has power.

Steer is on track for a fourth consecutive season with at least 20 home runs, and he's also a solid double hitter. While he doesn't maintain high batting averages, he's an intriguing offensive option.

And most importantly, the fact that he's a right-hander would help a Toronto lineup that already features several left-handed hitters.

Steer will be eligible for salary arbitration for the first time this winter, and that's what could prompt the Reds to trade him, says Bowden. That means the Blue Jays, if they acquire him, would be getting a player who still has several years of control remaining.

If the team ends up falling out of contention this year—which seems increasingly likely based on recent games—Steer could still be a help in the coming seasons.

It's worth noting that in his article, Bowden identifies a host of other power-hitting outfielders who might interest the Blue Jays. He mentions Jo Adell, Luis Robert Jr., Mickey Moniak, and JJ Bleday, among others.

Oh, and he also throws the name of a certain Mike Trout into the mix… while clarifying that he doesn't expect the Angels to trade him.

• Another controversy involving Dalton Rushing.

• Eric Lauer pitched well yesterday.

• Big outing by Cam Schlittler against the Rays.

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