Less than 24 hours after adding Randy Arozarena to their roster, the Mariners have reportedly reinforced their bullpen by acquiring right-hander Yimi Garcia from the Blue Jays. Seattle will trade outfielder Jonatan Clase and minor league catcher Jacob Sharp to Toronto, as confirmed by ESPN’s Jeff Passan and Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith.
Garcia, who will turn 34 next month, is in his third year with the Blue Jays. Initially signed to a two-year, $11 million deal, his strong performance has led to a three-year, $18 million extension. This includes a $6 million option for the current season and an additional $1 million in incentives over the first two years. Garcia will be owed $2.1 million for the remainder of this season and will become a free agent afterward.
As one of the top relief pitchers this season, Garcia is expected to strengthen a Mariners bullpen that, despite high expectations, has struggled with injuries. Star setup man Matt Brash is sidelined for the season due to Tommy John surgery, and offseason addition Gregory Santos has only recently returned from a significant lat strain and is dealing with a new knee issue.
Garcia has been outstanding this season, with a career-high average fastball velocity of 96.7 mph and a 36.5% strikeout rate. His 2.70 ERA is backed by advanced metrics like FIP (2.64) and SIERA (2.30), suggesting he might be performing even better than his ERA indicates. He has converted 5 of 6 save opportunities this season and also notched 10 holds. Despite a recent elbow issue, Garcia has continued to perform well.
In return, the Blue Jays will receive Jonatan Clase, a 22-year-old outfielder with six years of control left. Clase made his MLB debut with the Mariners earlier this season and had a .195/.233/.220 line in a small sample. However, he has performed well in Triple-A Tacoma, hitting .274/.373/.483 with 10 home runs and 26 stolen bases. Clase’s speed is notable, with Baseball America rating him a 70-grade runner and FanGraphs an 80-grade speedster.
Additionally, the Mariners are sending Jacob Sharp, a 22-year-old catcher drafted last year, to Toronto. Sharp, who has played in Class-A this season, has a .255/.339/.435 slash line and a strong 9.9% strikeout rate. His ability to make contact makes him a promising addition to the Blue Jays’ farm system.
Leave a Reply