Blue Jays trade Teoscar Hernandez to Mariners
The Toronto Blue Jays have traded outfielder Teoscar Hernandez to the Seattle Mariners for pitchers Erik Swanson and Adam Macko.
The 30-year-old Hernandez, who is entering his eighth Major League Baseball season, batted .267 with Jays last season with 25 home runs and 77 runs batted in.
Hernadez spent six seasons in Toronto and won Silver Slugger awards in both 2020 and 2021, and was a finalist this season. The Silver Slugger is awarded to the best offensive player at each position in both the American and National Leagues.
He also represented the Jays at the 2021 all-star game.
“We began our off-season with the intent to add impact and length to our lineup,” Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto said in a statement. “In adding Teoscar to an already solid foundation, we feel we've become a far more dangerous offensive club.”
Hernandez is signed for one more year at US$10.65 million and is set to become an unrestricted free agent following the 2023 season.
Macko, a 21-year-old from Bratislava, Slovakia, made eight starts for advanced-A Everett in 2022, posting a 3.99 ERA while racking up 60 strikeouts across 38.1 innings. The No. 8 prospect in the Mariners organization was placed on the injured list on June 3, where he spent the remainder of the season.
The left-hander has made 26 minor league appearances (19 starts) across three seasons in the Mariners organization (2019, '21-22), going 2-7 with a 3.98 ERA and 148 strikeouts.
Macko attended Vauxhall High School in Vauxhall, Alta., before he was selected in the seventh round of the MLB draft by the Mariners in 2019.
He has permanent resident status in Canada after living in Stony Plain, Alta., for six years. He was introduced to baseball in Grade 1 when he hit balls off a tee for the first time at his elementary school in Slovakia.
Macko's family applied for a visa to Canada when Adam was 11 and they spent 16 months in Ireland in the interim so he and his sister could get a head start on the English language.
He played bantam baseball in Spruce Grove when his family arrived in Alberta, then spent his high school days at Vauxhall.
“He didn't throw very hard but he was ahead of the curve as far as his ability to pitch,” Vauxhall coach Les McTavish said after Macko was drafted. “He was maybe behind the curve in terms of velocity and physical development. But considering his background and where he came from, he was ahead of most Canadian kids let alone someone coming from his background.”
Swanson, a 29-year old from Fargo, N.D., pitched in 57 games for the Mariners last season, going 3-2 with a 1.68 earned-run average.
The six-foot-three right-hander has appeared in 126 career games (11 starts) across four major-league seasons all with Seattle (2019-22), going 4-12 with six saves and a 4.13 ERA, 34 walks and 166 strikeouts.
He made his MLB debut with the Mariners on April 11, 2019 at Kansas City.
Swanson was originally selected by the Texas Rangers in the eighth round of the 2014 MLB draft. After being traded to the New York Yankees, he was acquired by Seattle in 2018 as part of the deal that sent Canadian pitcher James Paxton to the Yankees.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 16, 2022.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Trump fined US$1,000 for gag order violation in hush money case as judge warns of possible jail time
The judge presiding over Donald Trump's hush money trial has fined him US$1,000 for violating his gag order and sternly warned the former president that additional violation could result in jail time.
The story of how a B.C. man found his birth mother
After his adopted parents died, Dave Rogers set out to learn more about his birth mother. DNA results and a little help from friendly strangers would put him on a path to a small town in England.
When grief and AI collide: These people are communicating with the dead
AI tools can offer recommendations, answer questions and 'talk' with users. But some users are using them to recreate the likeness of the dead.
Spike in 'violent rhetoric' since Oct. 7 attack from 'extremist actors,' CSIS warns
The Israel-Hamas war has led to a spike in 'violent rhetoric' from 'extremist actors' that could prompt some in Canada to turn to violence, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service warns.
Italy's white-collar mafia is making a business killing
Italy's mafia rarely dirties its hands with blood these days. Extortion rackets have gone out of fashion and murders are largely frowned upon by the godfathers.
WestJet, mechanics union agree to tentative deal to avoid strike
A potential strike between WestJet and its mechanics union appears to have been avoided.
Russia announces nuclear weapon drills after angry exchange with senior Western officials
Russia plans to hold drills simulating the use of battlefield nuclear weapons, the Defense Ministry announced Monday, days after the Kremlin reacted angrily to comments by senior Western officials about the war in Ukraine and Moscow warned that tensions with the West are deepening.
Summer forecast: What to expect as El Nino weakens
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Actor Bernard Hill, of 'Titanic' and 'Lord of the Rings,' has died at 79
Actor Bernard Hill, who delivered a rousing cry before leading his people into battle in 'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King' and went down with the ship as the captain in 'Titanic,' has died.