Report: Blue Jays trade Liam Hendriks to Athletics for Jesse Chavez

The Toronto Blue Jays have traded pitcher Liam Hendriks to the Oakland Athletics in exchange for pitcher Jesse Chavez. 

The Toronto Blue Jays are in it to win it in 2016. Their first major trade of the offseason? Giving up bullpen and rotation swingman Liam Hendriks to the Oakland Athletics and getting a similar pitcher back in Jesse Chavez. It’s likely that Chavez will fill a similar role to the one that Hendriks did last season for Toronto. Hendriks served as a long reliever and spot starter whenever he was needed. Chavez is suited well for that same role and is more proven than Hendriks.

Liam Hendriks was stellar for the Blue Jays last season. He had a 2.92 ERA and a 2.14 FIP to go along with a 1.08 WHIP in 2015. However, in his previous four seasons, he had an ERA of over 5.00. His ERA was over 6.00 in two of those seasons. Chavez gives the Blue Jays a bit more stability than Hendriks. Chavez is also a far more reliable starting pitcher than Hendriks since Chavez has been a starting pitcher for each of the past two seasons for the Athletics.

Chavez had a 7-15 record for Oakland last season. He finished with an ERA of 4.18 and an FIP of 3.75. His contract is up after next season. This is a move that helps both teams. The Athletics get a potential gem who is still under team control for four more years in Hendriks. The Blue Jays get a pitcher with a more proven track record than Hendriks.

The Jays are gambling a bit here. Even the most optimistic of fans likely don’t view Chavez as that significant of an upgrade over Liam Hendriks. Hendriks could have figured everything out last season and he looked dominant at times for Toronto. The Jays likely selling high on Hendriks because it’s hard to envision him having more value in the future than he has right now.