The Toronto Blue Jays got their reliever.
Shortly after the trade deadline, it was reported by The Athletics’ Mitch Bannon that the Blue Jays had acquired Louis Varland and Ty France from the Minnesota Twins. In exchange, the Blue Jays sent Kendry Rojas and Alan Roden to the Twins.
LHP Kendrys Rojas and OF Alan Roden are going to Minnesota, per source. #BlueJays https://t.co/7oB4MSdbli
— Mitch Bannon (@MitchBannon) July 31, 2025
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Varland is having a breakout season, authoring a 2.02 ERA and 2.89 FIP in 49 innings pitched, with 23.9 K% and 6.6 BB%. Varland averages 98.1 mph on the four-seam fastball and pairs that with a curveball that he throws 37% of the time. It’s a sharp knuckle curve, averaging 88 mph.
More importantly, the 27-year-old is under team control until after the 2030 season, which makes him incredibly valuable, hence the package the Twins received.
As for France, he is the bench bat the Blue Jays need. If the series against the Orioles showed anything, it’s that the Blue Jays need an actual backup first baseman, and France is strong defensively.
The bat isn’t fantastic, as he’s slashing .251/.320/.357 with six home runs in 387 plate appearances. His best season came in 2021, when he slashed .291/.368/.445 with 18 home runs in 650 plate appearances for a 129 wRC+ and 3.2 fWAR. It’s also worth noting that France hits right-handed batters better than he does left-handed batters.
As for the package the Jays gave up, Rojas and Roden have the chance to be legitimate MLB talent. Rojas, ranked the Blue Jays’ fifth-best prospect according to MLB Pipeline, has a 3.46 ERA and 2.46 FIP in 41.2 innings pitched this season, with a 37.1 K% and 5.4 BB% between Single-A, Double-A, and Triple-A.
Roden graduated from MLB Pipeline and has struggled in the big leagues this season. Over 43 games, the left-handed batting outfielder is slashing .204/.283/.306 with one home run in 113 plate appearances for a 66 wRC+. His numbers in Triple-A are better, as he’s slashing .331/.423/.496 with three home runs in 142 plate appearances.
This was the Blue Jays’ final trade before the deadline passed. In the end, they acquired Shane Bieber, Seranthony Domínguez, Brandon Valenzuela, Varland, and France. Not the best deadline, but they’ve improved.
Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Blue Jays Nation, Oilersnation, and FlamesNation. She can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.