Toronto Blue Jays said to be 'very interested' in Cincinnati Reds starter Tyler Mahle

The latest Cincinnati Reds rumors suggest that the Toronto Blue Jays were 'very interested' in Tyler Mahle prior to the lockout. The Jays were also said to be interested in fellow starting pitchers Luis Castillo and Sonny Gray.

It's been rumored for months that all three Cincinnati hurlers were being discussed in trades prior to the owners locking the players out. Once a new collective bargaining agreement is in place, it'll be curious to see if the Reds and Blue Jays can find some common ground.

Latest Reds rumors suggest Tyler Mahle is of interest to the Blue Jays.

Scott Mitchell of TSN reports that the Toronto Blue Jays are looking for one more starter to fill out the team's rotation. With Kevin Gausman signed before the lockout, the Jays have a solid one-two punch with the former Reds reliever and Jose Berrios.

Add to the mix Hyun Jin Ryu along with Alek Manoah and Toronto looks like it could go toe-to-toe with any team in the AL East. The Jays current No. 5 starter would likely be Ross Stripling or Nate Pearson according to Mitchell. But it seems as though one of the Cincinnati Reds starting pitchers caught Toronto's eye.

Tyler Mahle had a nice showing in 2021 and several teams, the Blue Jays included, took notice. Mahle went 180 innings and posted a 3.75 ERA and 3.80 FIP. Going 13-6 in 33 starts, Mahle owned a 10.20 K/9 and 27.7% strikeout-rate to go along with a career-high 210 punch outs.

Mahle is a saber metrics darling and has two years of team control remaining. Mahle is estimated by MLB Trade Rumors to make $5.6M in 2022. With the influx of talented young arms coming up through the Reds farm system, it wouldn't be surprising to see Cincinnati engage with Toronto after the lockout is over.

Heading into the 2022 season, one would assume that Tyler Mahle would be the No. 2 or No. 3 starter in Cincinnati. However, if the latest Reds rumors are to true and the right-hander is dealt before Opening Day, Mahle could conceivably be the Toronto Blue Jays' No. 4 or No. 5 starter. That's how good the Jays' rotation would be.