On Friday the Toronto Blue Jays struck a trade with the Oakland Athletics and the Detroit Tigers did the same with the Atlanta Braves. How did these deals benefit the two MLB clubs?
Toronto sent reliever Liam Hendriks to Oakland in exchange for starter Jesse Chavez. The Blue Jays may have rounded off their starting rotation for 2016 with the move, as Chavez will join Marcus Stroman, Marco Estrada, R.A. Dickey and Drew Hutchison.
Chavez, 32, made 47 of his 49 career starts in each of the past two seasons. Interestingly enough, his other two starts came when he played for the Blue Jays and before he was traded to the Athletics back in 2012. Chavez is 15-23 with a 4.14 ERA and 1.35 WHIP in his career as a starter. He especially impressed in that role in 2014 when he maintained a 3.21 ERA in 21 starts.
The right-hander is in his final year of arbitration eligibility and this acquisition is similar to the Blue Jays' deal with the Milwaukee Brewers that landed them Marco Estrada last offseason. At that point, Estrada had only one season out of his seven-year career where he didn't make an appearance in relief. He had made 62 starts over a seven-year span and, like Chavez, notched a career-high in innings pitched the year before Toronto acquired him. Estrada was also in his final year of arbitration eligibility.
Perhaps Chavez can be a savior for the Blue Jays like Estrada was this year. Estrada went 13-8 with a 3.13 ERA and 1.04 WHIP in 34 games (28 starts) for Toronto and then earned himself a two-year, $26 million deal with the team earlier this offseason.
The Blue Jays gave up Hendriks in the deal. The right-handed reliever went 5-0 with a 2.92 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and 71 strikeouts in 58 games (64 2/3 innings) this past season. The 26-year-old is under club control through 2019 and made huge strides after struggling with the Minnesota Twins and Kansas City Royals during his first four MLB seasons (he was used as a starter and the Blue Jays converted him).
Toronto lost another member of their bullpen, which may cost them if they don't make another move to replace the exits of Hendriks, Mark Lowe and LaTroy Hawkins. However, it seems as if general manager Tony LaCava will address that unit in free agency since there are a number of capable arms on the market.
As for the Tigers, they sent reliever Ian Krol and prospect pitcher Gabe Speier to the Braves in exchange for outfielder Cameron Maybin. Detroit re-acquired the 28-year-old outfielder 10 years after taking him 10th overall in the 2005 MLB Draft.
He only played 24 games with the Tigers before he was traded to the Marlins in the deal that brought Detroit first baseman Miguel Cabrera.
However, Maybin is a much different player now. This past season with the Braves he notched career-highs in batting average (.267), home runs (10), RBI (59) and walks (45). Atlanta acquired him from San Diego last offseason.
It's unknown what the Tigers' plans for the outfield in 2016 will be, but it's possible Maybin will start in center field (where he's played most of his career) and Anthony Gose will shift over to the left since he's played the corner spots a decent amount during his first three MLB seasons. Tigers' GM Al Avila said manager Brad Ausmus and the coaching staff "will determine Cameron's role during spring training.
Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Press says Maybin "profiles as a platoon partner for both Gose in center field and Tyler Collins in left field."
Although this likely wasn't exactly the type of acquisition the Tigers were looking to make after Yoenis Cespedes was traded in the middle of the season, it will still improve the roster. Maybin won't produce the offensive numbers Cespedes put up, but he'll provide formidable defense and get an opportunity to hit in a lineup stacked with talent, which could maximize his efficiency at the plate.
Maybin owns a stat line of just .251/.313/.366 over nine MLB seasons, but one of his most impressive seasons came in 2015 when he was a member of the team with the worst offense in the league. He could still be discovering his potential, which would be beneficial to the Tigers since they'll be paying him just $5.5 million in 2016 and have a $9 million team option (or a $1 million buyout) for 2017.
The Tigers gave up Krol (4.91 ERA in 110 career games) and Speier (2.34 ERA in 45 career minor league games) in the deal. Their relationship with Krol simply wasn't working out, so perhaps the lefty needed a change of scenery. Speier, who has been impressive during his first few years in the minors, won't be ready for MLB action for quite some time. The Tigers loaded up on prospect pitchers when they traded Cespedes and David Price, meaning they didn't lose anything worthwhile in acquiring Maybin.
These two trades may end up working out for everyone involved, but look out for Chavez and Maybin to potentially contribute significantly for their new teams in 2016.
