MLB Trade: Blue Jays send Drew Storen to Mariners for Joaquin Benoit
By David Rouben
The Toronto Blue Jays and Seattle Mariners swapped relievers when they exchanged Drew Storen for Joaquin Benoit.
The Drew Storen era has come to an end for the Toronto Blue Jays, and mercifully so. The former Washington Nationals closer was acquired in the offseason to save him from the nightmare that was Jonathan Papelbon. Instead, Toronto’s bullpen struggled mightily throughout the first half, and a big part of that was Storen putting up a career low in ERA (6.21) after 33 1/3 innings pitched.
After The Blue Jays temporarily sent him down to the minors, he’ll now get another chance to reinvent himself with the Seattle Mariners. According to the Mariners’ official account, a swap deal for Storen and Joaquin Benoit has been completed:
#Mariners have acquired RHP Drew Storen and cash considerations from Toronto in exchange for RHP Joaquin Benoit.
— Mariners PR (@MarinersPR) July 27, 2016
While the Blue Jays are glad that they’ve found a trade partner for Storen, they’re not exactly getting an upgrade in Benoit. Mariners fans can attest to that, as the oft-traveled reliever is in the midst of his 15th career season.
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After they acquired Benoit for two minor leaguers in a low-risk deal, he proceeded to put up an ERA of 5.18 in 24.1 innings, while digging the Mariners into a deeper hole. And while Storen was never going to stay beyond this season in Toronto –he was signed to a one-year deal– he has significantly more mileage on him given that he’s 28 as opposed to 39.
More than anything, this is a deal in which two teams got rid of depreciating assets. But with the Mariners 4.5 games back of the Wild Card and 6.5 games back of the AL West, it’s the Blue Jays that have a better shot at making the playoffs. And while their fans wanted to see the team acquire a reliever, Joaquin Benoit wasn’t exactly who they had in mind. Let’s see what else they do before the trade deadline.