Every year, some 'pen arm hops out of the woodwork to become a legitimate trade chip with plenty of value.   


The Toronto Blue Jays haven't seemed to have found that magic they had in prior seasons, as the ballclub continues to underperform in a very tough AL East division. They currently sit in third place with a record of 33-38 and are in need of a revamp from top to bottom.


Their farm system currently does have the talent to cue a successful rebuild in short order, but that'll further be exacerbated by some midsummer acquisitions.

Jays reliever Ryan Tepera has been forced to step up in the absence of closer Roberto Osuna and has done an incredible job in doing so.


He has posted a career-best K/9 rate this season, striking out 38 batters in 36.0 innings of work, while also sporting a very solid 2.75 ERA.

It appears this has all stemmed from the confidence Blue Jays manager John Gibbons has instilled in Tepera, after an appearance in Philly in which the righty got out of a bases-loaded jam.


The Jays will certainly be entertaining offers this deadline, and Ryan Tepera should be a primary focus, against all odds. He's controllable through 2021, after all.