A day after he was traded, former Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Brett Lawrie is thanking the club's fans for their support.

The Langley, B.C., native was traded Friday night to the Oakland Athletics in exchange for All-Star third baseman Josh Donaldson. The deal also saw pitchersSean Nolin and Kendall Graveman, and shortstop Franklin Barreto head to the A's.

In a message posted to Twitter Saturday morning, Lawrie acknowledged the encouragement he received from Canadian baseball fans during his four-year tenure with the Jays.

"I wana (sic) give the biggest shout out to all my Canadian brothers and sisters who supported me, you fans made my time in Toronto unforgettable," he says in the message.

"I cannot thank you enough for allowing me to play in my own 'backyard' with the (Maple Leaf) on my chest every day.”

The 24-year-old was drafted in the first round of the 2008 MLB Draft by the Milwaukee Brewers. The Jays acquired Lawrie in 2010 for pitcher Shaun Marcum.

In four seasons with Toronto, Lawrie batted .265 with 43 home runs and 157 RBIs. However, the Canadian struggled to stay healthy, sitting out 184 gamesover the past three seasons due to various injuries.

Lawrie said he is looking forward to a "new chapter" in Oakland, and that he "intends to make it worth it."