Blue Jays' vets leading the way amid Trade Deadline chaos

TORONTO -- In between a whirlwind of weekend news as the Blue Jays jumped out ahead of the Trade Deadline to begin their sale, they won a few ballgames.

Sunday’s 7-3 win over the Rangers completed a weekend sweep over the reigning World Series champions to create such a strange balance. This stretch has featured a walk-off win on Friday, a complete game from Kevin Gausman on Saturday and a great all-around effort on Sunday, but all eyes have understandably been on Tuesday’s Deadline, inching closer by the minute.

We call days like these “uncertain times,” but the Blue Jays aren’t burning this whole thing to the ground. While the Nate Pearson deal was less expected, both Yimi García and Danny Jansen were obvious trade candidates on expiring deals, which is the same thing we’ll soon say about Yusei Kikuchi, who is expected to be dealt before 6 p.m. ET on Tuesday. Everyone wants to wake up Wednesday morning and exhale.

• Latest trade rumors

“To be honest, this time of year kind of stinks,” Kevin Gausman said on Saturday. “If you’re not in it and if you’re not picking up guys for the run, then you’re probably going to lose guys. That’s where we’re at. We’re losing friends. My daughters are losing friends. There’s a lot of kids on this team. That stinks. It’s part of the game and the business, and I understand all of the moves that need to be made, but it’s still sad seeing someone leave.”

Three wins like these help to curb some of the frustrations that have built inside the Blue Jays’ clubhouse. Veterans like Gausman, José Berríos and Chris Bassitt are here to win and aren’t expected to be dealt, so they want to clean this up.

Before the series, Bassitt spoke about some of the “so-called demons that a lot of people are fighting” coming off a 13-0 loss to the Rays.

“I don’t think there’s one person with clean hands right now, I really don’t,” Bassitt said. “I don’t think we’ve done anything well this year. Maybe [Daulton] Varsho’s defense, I guess I can say he’s done his part. He should win a Platinum Glove this year, by the way. He should have won it last year. Besides Varsho’s defense, I don’t see how anyone can think, ‘Yeah, I’ve done what I should.’”

Bassitt, like the rest of these veterans, just wants to win. They’re no longer just happy to be in the big leagues.

That’s why wins like these -- even though they do little to change a season that will be remembered for what went wrong -- still mean something. Playoff race or not, these are still Major League Baseball games. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. still hit his 19th home run of the season. Varsho still hit his 13th. Berríos still threw seven innings of one-run ball.

“We understand where we’re at and we understand the business side,” Berríos said. “Obviously, this is a game, a game we love and have a passion for, but at the same time, it’s a business. We know we still have to come to the ballpark, do our thing, play the game the right way and try to win the ballgame.”

John Schneider, in particular, has been thrilled with the effort. He went out of his way Saturday to praise Guerrero and George Springer -- two other players who aren’t going anywhere -- for keeping the pedal to the floor despite everything happening around them.

“I cannot say this loudly enough or firmly enough,” Schneider began. “I love the way that everyone is playing. Sure, these are uncertain times, but when you look up and down our team, the young guys are probably a given, but veteran guys, too … I’m just so proud of the way they’re going about it when they’re on the field and the way they’re competing.”

Sunday night, the Blue Jays fly to Baltimore for a four-game set that opens with a doubleheader on Monday. It’s going to be another dense couple of days leading up to the Deadline, which lands just before the first pitch flies Tuesday night.

By Wednesday, the Blue Jays can tape their roster back together and decide what the rest of this season is going to look like. Young players coming into this organization or earning the call to the big leagues need at-bats and innings, but development comes quicker when you win, and these veterans still want that to be part of the final two months.