Best plays of 2023-24 (July 29)
BALTIMORE – The Toronto Blue Jays are sending rental starter Yusei Kikuchi to the Houston Astros for right-hander Jake Bloss, outfielder Joey Loperfido and utilityman Will Wagner, according to two industry sources.
Kikuchi was the club’s key trade chip on an expiring contract ahead of Tuesday’s trade deadline and securing a big return for him was essential.
Bloss, a 23-year-old right-hander selected in the third round a year ago, would have been a solid return on his own as the Astros’ No. 2 prospect, per Baseball America, and someone who could soon jump into the Blue Jays’ depleted rotation
He’s already made three starts in the majors for the Astros, striking out 11 in 11.2 innings while allowing nine runs on 16 hits and three walks.
Topping off the deal are Loperfido, a 25-year-old left-fielder ranked No. 5 in the Astros system by BA, and Wagner, 26, a third baseman ranked 19th.
The key piece, of course, is Bloss, a fast mover who began the year at high-A Asheville, made four starts there before a promotion to double-A Corpus Christi, eight starts later was pushed to triple-A Sugar Land where he made one start before a bump to the majors.
In a limited big-league sample, Bloss’s fastball sat 93.4 m.p.h. and topped out at 96, complemented by, in order of usage, a slider, curveball, sweeper, changeup and sinker.
Parting with Kikuchi, while imminent, will hurt given the quality of teammate he is and how beloved he is in the Blue Jays clubhouse. He signed a $36-million, three-year deal coming out of the lockout in 2022, finished that year in the bullpen but rebounded last season into a post-season calibre pitcher and continued to make gains this season.
He’ll give the Astros a needed boost to their injury-riddled rotation.
The deal is the second of the day for the Blue Jays, who also sent Justin Turner and cash to the Seattle Mariners for double-A outfielder RJ Schreck.
Before their 11-5 loss to the Baltimore Orioles in the first game of a doubleheader, Kikuchi ran through his routine as usual at Camden Yards, apparently at peace with his imminent departure.
“He’s been good,” manager John Schneider said of how his left-hander has been handling the uncertainty. “It’s pretty evident that he likes it here and his wife likes it here and things like that. It’s the first time he’s in this spot, understanding that it’s part of the business. He’s had ample time to kind of digest it a little bit, which is unfortunate, but I would say he’s in a good place.”
Following his final outing Friday for the Blue Jays, Kikuchi told reporters that during a meeting last week GM Ross Atkins said “there is a pretty high likelihood that I’ll get traded.”
That conversation was “kind of like a reset for me, too, just with all the uncertainty and stuff,” he added, something Schneider said he’s noticed, too.
“We’ve tried to be as transparent with him as possible,” added the manager. “Nothing’s done until it’s done, really. I watch it and hear it change by the hour, based on what teams are doing and what they need and all that kind of stuff. It is weird that it could just it could change in a minute… He’s at that point now where he’s comfortable. That’s probably where the grey area comes in because there’s some unknown and he’s very routine-oriented.”
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