Toronto Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins said Tuesday that the team will be looking to upgrade its starting pitching at the Aug. 3 trade deadline. Their June performance has showcased how they are pushing to be contenders and aggressive buyers at the deadline. 

The Blue Jays came into the season with their starting rotation as a significant strength on their roster, but that rotation has been plagued with injuries all season.

The Blue Jays started the season with a taxed rotation with key starters Trey Yesavage, Jose Berrios and Shane Bieber sidelined. But to make matters worse, the Blue Jays lost Cody Ponce to an ACL injury in his debut with the team on March 30.

The Blue Jays have also dealt with lingering injuries to veteran Max Scherzer, who has continued to spend time on the shelf. He made his return from the IL on June 10 but was placed back on it on June 17 with back spasms.

It's time for the Blue Jays to be aggressive with starting pitching at the deadline

Despite all the injuries, the Blue Jays have still been able to remain in a wild-card spot. But Scherzer's continuous struggles have been an obvious sign that they must stabilize their rotation by acquiring starting pitching depth. 

The Blue Jays lack such depth, with Jake Bloss their only option right now, but he is still navigating through the last stages of his recovery from Tommy John surgery. Adding more depth is a pressing need that they need to address. 

While Patrick Corbin was surprisingly steady in the beginning of the season, he has recently lost his stability. It's another indication that they need to take action if they want to make a postseason push. 

There are several appealing arms on the trade market that the Blue Jays can explore including Reid Detmers, Joe Ryan and Freddy Peralta. With Corbin the only southpaw in the rotation, targeting Detmers, who is a controllable ace and cost-effective option, would help solidify and strengthen the Blue Jays rotation. While Tarik Skubal is also another highly appealing option, that would require the Blue Jays to give up a hefty prospect package.