The Blue Jays play as if Mike D’Antoni should be their manager. They have a seven seconds or less offense – but a six seconds or less rotation.

The AL East is wide open, but as currently constituted Toronto would have to be the NBA team that gets to the postseason winning games 126-123. The Blue Jays had a textbook victory Monday, taking a 4-0 lead, falling behind the Angels 5-4 and persevering 10-6.

A playoff spot could be secured that way, but an 18-22 record (last in the AL East) reflected how perilous that would be. They were averaging an MLB-best 5.2 runs, but their rotation ERA was an MLB-worst 5.29, which also was further burdening an underwhelming pen. Yet, the Jays were still just 4 1/2 games back, which is why I think they should be aggressively offering Jose Bautista or Edwin Encarnacion in trades to try to add pitching. This is not to surrender. This is about taking from a strength few have (offense) to address a weakness.

The Blue Jays went thee-for-three in offseason positional acquisitions with Josh Donaldson, Russell Martin and Devon Travis. Thus, the lineup would be weakened without Bautista or Encarnacion, but far from weak, especially with Jose Reyes expected back from the DL soon, and Michael Saunders perhaps by the All-Star break.

However, the Jays might already have missed the window with Bautista. He gained 10-and-5 rights to waive any trade seven games into this season plus incurred a shoulder injury that currently has reduced him to a DH. Encarnacion earns 10-and-5 rights on July 3, so Toronto might have just six weeks to act.

Positively, Encarnacion could be sold as a first baseman, left fielder or right fielder (the same as Bautista, when healthy) and he would be the best hitter available. Encarnacion has 121 homers since the start of 2012 — second to Miguel Cabrera — plus a .905 OPS.

Negatively, just about every AL East squad (among other teams) needs starting pitching, Cole Hamels’ no-trade clause includes Toronto and he would not go there, the White Sox (Jeff Samardzija) and Reds (Johnny Cueto) are unlikely to consider a move until late July, and it might take a third team so that a club that needs a bat – Seattle or Pittsburgh, perhaps, heck maybe the Mets – can find a way to move pitching to Toronto.

And Toronto GM Alex Anthopoulos told me this: “I would never talk openly about trading any of our players. At the same time these are two of the best position players in the game. Anything we do, we want them as part of the team. If we add, we don’t want to affect the core and take something away from the middle of our order.”

That is Anthopoulos’ public face, but his reputation is openness to all ideas and here is why he should be open to this one:

1. Toronto has gone the longest without making the playoffs (since 1993), and Anthopoulos and manager John Gibbons might both be performing for their jobs.

2. The Blue Jays had to give up major prospects (Noah Syndergaard and Travis d’Arnaud) for R.A. Dickey and (Franklin Barreto, Sean Nolin) for Donaldson. Those are win-now moves, but more win-now moves that involve giving up prospects such as center fielder Dalton Pompey or lefty Daniel Norris could be calamitous to the near future.

3. Bautista ($14 million this season, $14 million option or $1 million buyout next year) and Encarnacion ($10 million this year, $10 million next year or a $2 million buyout) are on team-friendly deals. But the likelihood the Blue Jays would re-up with Bautista, 34, or Encarnacion, 32, at big dollars after 2016 is unlikely. Thus, trading one or the other now would likely bring the greatest long-term value.

4. Toronto lost presumptive ace Marcus Stroman to a shredded left knee in spring and what was left was an old (Mark Buerhle, Dickey), young (Drew Hutchison, Norris, Aaron Sanchez) combo that has not worked. Norris is trying to find himself in the minors. The Hail Mary is Jeff Hoffman, taken ninth overall by Toronto last year, though he had Tommy John surgery the month before. He makes his first pro start Wednesday in the Florida State League and because of his combination of velocity (94-99 mph), repertoire (also a well-regarded curve and change) and command, the Jays think he could come fast to the majors from last year’s draft as Brandon Finnegan (Royals) and Carlos Rodon (White Sox) already have.

But Hail Marys seldom work. So Bautista and Encarnacion should be in play.

No Faith in Gee

The Mets like Noah Syndergaard enough that they just might keep him in the majors as their No. 5 starter. But this is also about how much they do not care for Dillon Gee.

Here are the facts: They tried to trade him all off0season. Before an injury to Zack Wheeler, Gee was ticketed for long relief. Now, as he is getting close to completing rehab from a strained groin, the organization refuses to commit to him in the rotation and there is this from a rival executive:

“They (the Mets) have had Dillon Gee out there (on the trade market) for a long time. He has been out there for a while. I don’t know if teams are worried about his shoulder or that he makes $5 million, but no one is jumping out of their chairs for Dillon Gee.”

Tomas coming around

Yasmany Tomas had the air of a bust about him in spring training. He was struggling with the Diambondbacks forcing him to play out of position at third base and not hitting like his $68.5 million price tag demanded, and Arizona sent him down to begin the year. But an injury to third baseman Jake Lamb meant a recall for the Cuban import and, while no one will confuse him with Brooks Robinson, he was signed to hit and he has at least begun to do that.

In his past 16 games, he was batting .357 with an .844 OPS, and Arizona had moved him to cleanup. Ultimately, he would be best served back in the corner outfield and the Diamondbacks already have a lot of candidates. It will be interesting if to clear room for Tomas, Arizona decides to market another righty-hitting corner bat – Mark Trumbo, who has six homers and an .849 OPS.

The other two big Cuban bats signed in the offseason also were newsworthy. Yoan Moncada, who the Red Sox outbid the Yankees to sign, played his first pro game Monday, going 0-for-3 at Low-A with a walk and an error at second base. Hector Olivera, who got $62.5 million from the Dodgers, passed his physical, which is not inconsequential. There had been rumors he needed Tommy John surgery. Instead, he will go to Arizona with the hope that in about a month he could be a third base factor for Los Angeles.