2:05pm: The Mariners have now announced the trade, with Gonzales indeed transferred to the 60-day IL as the corresponding move. The lefty has been on the IL since late May due to a left forearm strain and has yet to begin a rehab assignment. He’ll be eligible to return from the IL as soon as this weekend but that doesn’t seem to be a possibility.
2:00pm: The Mariners are acquiring right-hander Trent Thornton from the Blue Jays, reports Jeff Passan of ESPN. Thornton was designated for assignment last week when the Jays acquired Génesis Cabrera. The Mariners are sending infielder Mason McCoy to the Jays in exchange. The M’s will need to open a 40-man roster spot for Thornton, though they can do that fairly easily by transferring Marco Gonzales to the 60-day injured list.
Thornton, now 29, came over to the Blue Jays in a November 2018 trade that sent utility player Aledmys Díaz to the Astros. The righty jumped into Toronto’s rotation the next year and tossed 154 1/3 innings with a 4.84 earned run average. He struck out 22% of batters faced while walking 9% of them.
But in 2020, he was limited to just three starts by elbow inflammation and has been transitioned into a relief role since then. He served as a frequently-optioned depth piece for the Jays in the past few seasons, logging 100 1/3 frames in the big leagues since the start of 2021 with a 4.31 ERA, 22% strikeout rate and 8% walk rate. He’s also been able to throw 66 1/3 innings at the Triple-A level with a 2.98 ERA, striking out 21.8% of opponents while walking 10.9%.
Despite those decent numbers, Thornton was pushed down Toronto’s depth chart by other acquisitions and has only been able to make four big league appearances this year. He’s also in his final option year, meaning he’ll be out of options next year and will therefore have diminished roster flexibility. But the Mariners will still have the ability to option him for the rest of the year, allowing him to provide them with a bit of extra depth for their pitching staff. Daniel Kramer of MLB.com relays that Thornton will initially report to Triple-A Tacoma.
Heading the other way is McCoy, 28, who was originally drafted by the Orioles but was traded to the Mariners in a cash deal in April of 2022. Baseball America ranked him the 29th best prospect in Baltimore’s system in 2020, praising his glove and bat-to-ball skills but expressing some concern about a lack of future power.
Since that trade, he’s been playing for Triple-A Tacoma in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League. He hit 20 home runs last year but struck out in 25.8% of his plate appearances. His .256/.332/.473 batting line amounted to a wRC+ of 96 in that offensively-charged environment. This year, he’s added another 11 homers but struck out at a 29.5% clip. His .234/.330/.407 line this year translates to a 77 wRC+.
Despite the subpar offense, he should have a decent floor due to his other qualities. He stole 22 bases last year and has swiped another 20 already here in 2023. He also has defensive versatility, having played the three infield positions to the left of first base as well as some brief appearances in the outfield. He will be eligible for minor league free agency at the end of this season if not added to Toronto’s 40-man roster.
Stove slowly heating up, simmering at the moment…
Let’s get a nice rolling boil going.
I mean I’m just curious how the jays turn the real McCoy into Ohtani
By giving Tiedemann Martinez Kirk and a few other prospects
Let’s will it into existence
I would offer Manoah as part of the trade if I knew I could extend Ohtani.
I think I would do it even if I couldn’t extend Ohtani.
I thought the M’s were goin’ be sellers?
Acquiring a DFA’ed player means they probably paid $1. That amount is what typically is sent for “cash considerations”. MLB requires at least that much because players cannot be exchanged for free.
When a player is designated for assignment, the team has a certain amount of time to trade him before placing him on waivers. In this case, it was a player-for-player trade.
Jerry the former reliever….must see something he likes with Trent. The organization is really good pitching wise at identifying and isolating strengths while hiding weaknesses.
Yes. SODOMOJO.
And how about these M’s today?
How about Dylan Moore hitting 2 home runs?
Looks like they’re getting into the groove finally.
As a mariners fan, one can only hope. However, so much mariners hope and disappointment has left me with next to none left
Great game! I am looking forward to the next couple weeks. Big games leading up to and after the deadline. Then we got Felix weekend coming up
Hopefully we’ll be in the thick of the race at that point. Ichiro’s Mariners HOF weekend last year against the Braves was a magical three days.
Typical. He has plus pitches, but some command issues. This is something Seattle has excelled at fixing.
Yes despite protestations, Mariners’ council of Trent should bring on reforms.
Good pick up by the M’s. Arms are at a premium for the next 2 months.
I remember Blue jay fans saying Thornton was the next Roger Clemens…these soy Canadians are out of control
It’s the bad Labatts.
Mmm a Labatt blue would hit the spot right now.
Lmao who said that? Please link the article where someone said that.
Anyone who refers to anyone else as “soy” is a waste of oxygen.
Did I hurt your feelings buddy? You gonna call the police?
Little Stevie J is #triggered
Anyone who speaks in absolutes such as “anyone who does x that automatically means y;” is probably not worth listening to.
SODOMOJO is #triggered
YES I AM SO MAD AND TRIGGERED OMG
Only people who go online just to chastise and make fun of other people; would say “youuu mad? Yeah, you mad.”
Lol, are you 12?
What is it with that anyway? People these days act like it’s a badge of honor, or something good when you antagonize someone with the intention of making them mad; and then they actually get mad?
That is like 12 year old playground behavior. Yet it’s everywhere. What a bunch of idiots. Lol
#triggered
Like someone that says all blue jays fans said…?
This was the first time I saw someone’s tears through comment.
Stevie, we are here if you need to talk.
#dummy
That would hurt if it wasn’t coming from a condescending hypocrite.
Take your toxic trash and leave. It’s people like you that drive the decent folk off of discussion boards.
Little stewie or Stevie is big mad online crying for sure.
I made a singular comment in reference to an ignorant, nonbaseball comment. The original poster felt the need to attempt to troll me and the other guy felt the need to be condescending to me, while ignoring the original comment.
I was done, until you decided to be a condescending hypocrite as well.
Listen up Canadian boy we aren’t gonna clean your diaper
Yes he is 12. He used a hashtag. Unfortunately, it seems most adults these days haven’t grown in maturity since high school. I also am confused about the pride people have in antagonizing. They have no life. Being crap somehow fulfills it.
@iverbure shouldn’t your nurse be feeding you rice pudding right now? Get off the internet boy before I call the nursing home and tip them on your behavior
This is just embarrassing. Like the dude that threatened another driver by saying they will “beat their dick off”.
##dummy
#moron
Really weird you’re “white knighting” for Stevie janowsky.
I wasn’t even talking about you. You seem pressed.
I remember when you said Hector Olivera would be the next Babe Ruth.
Nah man he was always trash.
@slimmycito the babe was an alcoholic scumbag, but saying he was always trash seems a bit extreme.
DFA roulette continues.
Just what the Jays need. Another lousy AAAA infielder that will never make the bigs.
One of the last two remaining position players from the rainiers opening day roster, so he sticks around, if that’s any consolation
to be fair… this is an exchange of ‘lousy’ players. Neither will have an impact.
Well, lousy as they may be, they are a hell of a lot better than I ever could be. No impact, yes, but I was actually a bit of a fan of Mason. He will be missed by me, and probably no one else.
We help pay them to be less lousy.
M’s have a tendency of transforming lousy pitchers into very good ones.
funny… the same has been said of Toronto. Kikuchi seems to be the latest.
Right on. Maybe Thornton is beyond repair, maybe SEA unlocks some potential that TOR couldn’t… The list of no-name relievers SEA has revitalized is extensive… (Steckenrider, Graveman, Seawald, Brash, Munoz, Topa, Speier of the top of my head).
Well thought out, Blue Jays. Yes let’s keep Thomas Hatch and/or Mitch White instead.
Mitch White is garbage.
Louder please.
They both will be gone after the trade deadline. Those 3 were fringe at best and easily upgraded
When does the upgrading start?
Thornton’s stuff looked better than ever this year. Fastball was up, bite on his slider was there, yet you write him off? A Jays fan should be able to spot differences.
Easily upgraded? Have you paid any attention to the Jays the last 4 years? They will upgrade the bullpen by trading a top prospect for a 4th outfielder. They’ll upgrade the infield by acquiring an extra left handed 1B. They’ll upgrade the outfield by landing 1B/DH bats.
@its_happening
When Green and Ryu are added back, those 2 could very well be on their way out.
Wouldn’t count on it. Let’s see how the trade deadline shakes out before we assess how the Jays will somehow fumble this decision too.
Mason is the real deal
Mason McCoy sighting! given the Orioles surplus of minor league talent, it can be easy to forget the names of the recent past like McCoy, or Cody Sedlock, Alex Wells and the like that have talent but we’re quite what the O’s needed compared to the wave of Elias picks. all of which were certainly part of rising hope each Spring that we’re finally seeing some fruit from.
I wish Mason all the best (just not against the O’s) as he continues his dream to stick in the Bigs, north of the border.
Nothingburger move. Both teams are giving up a player that can’t help them for a player that probably won’t help them.
Balderdash.
This was not a surprise, Thornton is a good trade some salt, and pepper on his control, and away we go. This does not address the Teo. situation as anticipated but it would suggest a possible move in support of trading pitching for offensive concerns. On this regard there could be internal developments that might provide for some help from players like Moore, Marlowe, Trammel, meanwhile I’m perfectly Ok with Moore becoming the every day outfielder, as I’m willing to becoming surprised by Marlowe development. I’m sure Trammel would like to finally unpack his stuff. This lineup as we know it has a chance of improving even if it’s incremental or maybe that’s what were seeing now. I do remember last year when this lineup was the same with maybe Winker, Santana, and, Frazier, and Torro being the difference so how much offense have they lost there? hardly worth the mention. So far this lineup hasn’t lived up to expectations so can we not expect a better outcome? Along the way something not unlike last year? However unlikely that may seems it’s in the realm of possibilities if the past has anything to do with it. Meanwhile you can remain with your guarded optimism.
Wouldn’t a solid BAT be little better motivation to get this team ignited ???