Blue Jays Trade Hernández For Erik Swanson, Adam Macko
The Blue Jays didn't wait long to make a splash.
Just days into the offseason, Toronto traded outfielder Teoscar Hernández to the Mariners in exchange for reliever Erik Swanson and pitching prospect Adam Macko. The trade has been confirmed by the Jays and was first reported by ESPN's Jeff Passan.
A two-time Silver Slugger and 2021 All-Star, Hernández was a staple in the middle of the Jays' batting order for the last few seasons. In six seasons with Toronto, Hernández slashed .263/.319/.499 with 129 homers in 609 games.
The return is built around 29-year-old reliever Erik Swanson, who posted a 1.68 ERA in 53.2 innings pitched with the Mariners last season. The hard-throwing righty features a fastball, changeup, and slider. All three pitches miss bats—a trait the Jays have been lacking in their bullpen—and Swanson was elite at inducing chases and reducing hard contact in 2022. He will be arbitration-eligible this winter and has three years remaining of team control.
Also traded from Seattle to Toronto was 21-year-old pitching prospect Adam Macko. The left-handed pitcher was born in Slovakia but attended high school just south of Calgary. Previously ranked No. 8 on Seattle's top prospect list on MLB Pipeline, Macko posted a 3.99 ERA in eight starts in High A this year. Featuring a fastball, curveball, slider, and changeup, he struck out 14.1 batters per nine but walked 4.7.
Coupled with the DFA of Raimel Tapia on Tuesday, the Jays now have a clear hole in the outfield. But, Wednesday's trade provides Toronto with some financial flexibility. Hernández, entering his final year of team control, was projected to earn over $14 million in arbitration, while Swanson is projected at $1.4 million.
Mitch Bannon is a baseball reporter for Sports Illustrated covering the Toronto Blue Jays and their minor league affiliates.Twitter: @MitchBannon