Looking at things strictly from a defensive perspective, one of the most interesting players who could get traded to a contending team in the next 10 days is Blue Jays center fielder Daulton Varsho.

When he’s been healthy Varsho has given the Blue Jays very good value, accumulating 12 bWAR over the last four seasons. That’s particularly true on the defensive side, where Varsho ranks second among center fielders in Defensive Runs Saved since the start of 2023. He won the 2024 Fielding Bible Defensive Player of the Year Award.

Most Defensive Runs Saved – Center Fielders Since 2023

But with Varsho a free agent at the end of the season and the Blue Jays not in the race for a postseason spot, he’s going to have much more utility with a contending team. That’s true even though Varsho has dropped to 1 Run Saved this season, he’s slipped from excellent to a little above average on MLB’s jumps-related stats, and the value of his throwing arm has been diminished by shoulder surgery.

Right now, Varsho is struggling at the plate. He’s hitting .141 in his last 21 games, so he’s not helping his stock in that regard. Prior to that he was hitting .266 with a .778 OPS, so he’s shown he’s capable of being good this year.

Varsho’s versatility can come in handy. He could move to left field or right field without issue. His arm strength would be less of an issue in left field. The last time he played there he had 12 Runs Saved in 67 games in 2024.

There are definitely teams on which Varsho could be valuable, even though he’s not what he once was. Which contenders could benefit from his acquisition? Here are a few ideas.

The Pirates and Cardinals both sit a half-game out of the third Wild Card spot. The Pirates have totaled -10 Runs Saved in center field, which is largely Oneil Cruz’s doing (he’s currently on the injured list).

The Cardinals entered the season with a center fielder with an excellent defensive track record. But Victor Scott hit .194 in 61 games and had -3 Runs Saved and was demoted to the minor leagues in June. Getting Varsho would give them some flexibility and allow Nathan Church to go back to left field.

The Marlins have gotten -23 Runs Saved from their outfield this season, so whether it’s Varsho or someone like Luis Robert or someone else, there’s a need for a good defensive outfielder there. Their main center fielder, Jakob Marsee, is currently hitting .192 with -11 Runs Saved at the position.

The Yankees could also find a spot for Varsho. Trent Grisham has had his ups and downs and also missed three weeks to injury in June. Grisham had -11 Runs Saved in center field last year and is currently at -3 this season. It has been a while since he played to his reputation of good defensive outfielder.

There are teams on the edge of contention, such as the Orioles, Astros, Tigers, and Twins that could probably use Varsho too (the Twins would play him in a corner since they have Byron Buxton in center field). Their likelihood of trading for him seems slimmer unless they make a push above .500 as the trade deadline approaches.

Given the range of outcomes that Varsho is most likely to provide, he’s probably not someone you trade for unless you’re a serious contender. But if you need one catch to save a season, like the Dodgers had in Game 7 of the 2025 World Series, Varsho isn’t a bad option to be the one trying to make it.