Even before the Blue Jays vaulted into first place in the AL East, GM Ross Atkins planned to be a buyer ahead of the trade deadline. Ben Nicholson-Smith takes a look at the pool of players available.

As the trade deadline approaches, there's a clear trend when it comes to evaluating some of the team's most sensible targets.

The Toronto Blue Jays are red-hot, having won four games in a row and seven of their last 10. At 48-38, they have climbed into a first-place tie with the New York Yankees in the American League East.