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Toronto Blue Jays Agree to Trade Workhorse Reliever Yimi García to Seattle Mariners

Yimi García has been a mainstay out of the Toronto Blue Jays' bullpen over the past few seasons, and now he will try to get the Seattle Mariners over the finish line in 2024.

Sam Connon

Apr 13, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays relief pitcher Yimi Garcia (93) delivers a pitch against the Colorado Rockies in the ninth inning at Rogers Centre.
Apr 13, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays relief pitcher Yimi Garcia (93) delivers a pitch against the Colorado Rockies in the ninth inning at Rogers Centre. / Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
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The Toronto Blue Jays have traded right-handed relief pitcher Yimi García to the Seattle Mariners, the team announced Friday evening.

ESPN's Jeff Passan was the first to report the deal.

Outfielder Jonatan Clase and catcher Jacob Sharp are going back to Toronto as part of the trade. Clase was ranked as the No. 10 prospect in Seattle's farm system, while Sharp was not ranked in their top 30.

García has been a workhorse out of the Blue Jays' bullpen these past few years, and 2024 has been his most effective season yet.

The righty, who turns 34 years old in August, is currently 3-0 with a 2.70 ERA, 0.800 WHIP, 12.6 strikeouts per nine innings and a 0.7 WAR. An elbow injury cost García a full month of action between June and July, and he still ranks fourth among all Toronto pitchers in WAR.

García signed a three-year, $16 million contract with the Blue Jays back in December 2021. He is slated to hit free agency this winter.

In his big league career, García is 22-29 with a 3.54 ERA, 1.051 WHIP, 9.8 strikeouts per nine innings and a 3.0 WAR. He ranks No. 14 in MLB with 303 appearances since 2019, pitching for the Blue Jays, Houston Astros, Miami Marlins and Los Angeles Dodgers in that time.

The Mariners trading for García comes in the wake of them acquiring All-Star outfielder Randy Arozarena from the Tampa Bay Rays late Thursday night. They might even have a few more tricks up their sleeve before the deadline arrives at 6 p.m. ET on Tuesday.

Toronto, on the other hand, is last in the AL East at 46-56. Much has been made about the Blue Jays' status as potential sellers this summer, and now the focus will surely shift to their plans for first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and shortstop Bo Bichette.

For now, Toronto has already managed to add some depth to its prospect pool.

Clase hit .195 with three RBI, three stolen bases, a .452 OPS and a -0.2 WAR in 19 games with the Mariners this season. The 22-year-old rookie was previously batting .274 with 10 home runs, 34 RBI, 26 stolen bases and an .856 OPS through 59 games with Triple-A Tacoma.

Sharp was Seattle's 17th round pick out of UNLV in 2023. The 22-year-old backstop has spent the entire 2024 season with Single-A Modesto, batting .255 with six home runs, 29 RBI and a .773 OPS in 44 games.

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Sam Connon
SAM CONNON

Sam Connon is a Staff Writer for Fastball on the Sports Illustrated/FanNation networks. He previously covered UCLA Athletics for Sports Illustrated/FanNation's All Bruins, 247Sports' Bruin Report Online, Rivals' Bruin Blitz, the Bleav Podcast Network and the Daily Bruin, with his work as a sports columnist receiving awards from the College Media Association and Society of Professional Journalists. Connon also wrote for Sports Illustrated/FanNation's New England Patriots site, Patriots Country, and he was on the Patriots and Boston Red Sox beats at Prime Time Sports Talk.

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