1:07pm: Lefty Rob Rasmussen is the final minor leaguer headed to Toronto, the Blue Jays revealed in officially announcing the trade.
12:55pm: Left-hander Jake Brentz is also in the package for Lowe, Heyman tweets.
12:45pm: Class-A left-hander Nick Wells is one of the three players heading to Seattle, Heyman tweets. Wells was the Blue Jays’ third-round pick in 2014.
12:24pm: The Mariners are netting three minor leaguers in the deal, reports Joel Sherman of the New York Post (Twitter link).
12:16pm: The Jays have acquired Lowe, tweets Chris Cotillo of SB Nation.
12:12pm: The Blue Jays are moving towards a trade that will acquire veteran right-hander Mark Lowe from the Mariners, reports Jon Heyman of CBS Sports (via Twitter).
Lowe’s name doesn’t leap off the page as an exciting target based on his track record, but he’s in the midst of an astounding breakout season. Lowe has a pristine 1.00 ERA with 11.8 K/9, 2.8 BB/9 and a 36.5 percent ground-ball rate in 36 innings for Seattle this season, and his 95 mph average fastball is the best heat he’s shown since 2011.
By adding Lowe, who signed a minor league deal this winter, the Blue Jays have secured a relief upgrade that comes with the most minimal of financial commitments. One would think that played a factor in the decision to target him (in addition to his excellent numbers), as the Blue Jays have been said to be on a limited budget and took on quite a bit of cash to acquire David Price yesterday. Lowe will be a rental for the Mariners, as he’s logged well over the necessary six years of big league service required to qualify for free agency at season’s end.
mnkurt
Stupid Twins…let’s just keep sitting on our hands. There’s ALWAYS next year….
docmilo5
The Jays were mentioned in having interest in Happ. Happ and Lowe?
justinept
It is officially over!
exhibitionstadium
What is officially over?
funkytime
Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?
Cedric Lee
lol what? when did that happen?
exhibitionstadium
I hope you’re kidding.
jamesess
Forget it, he’s rolling.
funkytime
Finally. Apparently kids these days are too good for Animal House. 🙂
funkytime
Finally. Apparently kids these days are too good for Animal House. 🙂
funkytime
Finally. It’s not like that was an obscure reference.
Apparently kids these days are too good for Animal House.
(And I think that’s the first time in my life I’ve ever used the phrase “Kids these days” in a serious manner. Christ, I’m starting to get old.)
JD.
Ok ok.. shouldn’t cost much. Maybe they can include Loup.
myaccount
Hoping his strand rate and the fact that FIP doesn’t inflate his numbers too much (in a sense) caused the Jays to give a substantial package for him. He’s been pretty lights out. Would make a good 7th inning shutdown/setup man for Toronto
ashley
With Lowe, Sanchez and Osuna anchoring the back end of the pen, with Cecil being the left-handed set up option, it should enable the team to win more than they lose. They just have to keep Loup away from any game the Jays are leading. lol.
SheaGoodbye
Nice deal by the Jays. Lowe’s numbers look legit for the most part. Better to acquire a guy like him than blow a bigger set of prospects on a closer.
bluejaymatt 2
Best SS in baseball. Best SP available. 2 good RP’s.
OK guys, AA has done his bit – now it’s over to you!
thetornado16
Maybe even Ben Revere as well.
scissormetimbers
Solid addition
billbrasky
All. In.
clutchcutch22
3 prospects???
twolfe
Jays are all in. The Jays have addressed everything they needed plus the best shortstop in the game. Barring injury this is a scary team.
AJ 10
Underrated move here that will certainly get overlooked when discussing the trade deadline.
jimmer
3 prospects for a rental reliever???
Ray Ray
I would imagine that they are of the “quantity, not quality” prospects.
exhibitionstadium
I know, right? But it shouldn’t be of the Hoffman, Norris, etc., variety.
myaccount
I doubt we get anything too substantial. I think the hope here is take on 3 guys, hope 1 blossoms into a useful pro. I would think maybe Tirado as a headliner or something.
billbrasky
Not all minor leaguers are prospects.
docmilo5
Can we get a Guerrero back? Yeah, probably not. Still upset fat Jack traded Gabby in the Trumbo deal when Montero was raking in AAA for the cost of nothing.
Ray Ray
Montero has always raked in AAA, but does nothing in the majors. Trumbo is at least a quality major league slugger.
docmilo5
Montero hit well enough in NY. The kid lots a ton of weight this year and is looking really good. It costs nothing to let him have a shot for 3 weeks if the manager will put him in the lineup. It cost the M’s Reinheimer, Guerrero and Castillo (boy they could use another catcher) for Trumbo. Trumbo isn’t the answer in RF or 1B and Cruz should be the RH DH. Trumbo was a waste of prospects and a catcher.
thetornado16
They still could get Steve Clevenger from Baltimore. But that doesn’t say much because he’s to me another Sucre.
myaccount
Montero has done quite well in limited ABs and looked like one of the more competent hitters. Several AAA players have vouched for him and questioned why he hasn’t seen regular PT at the MLB level this season. Answer as to why: Jack Z is incompetent as a GM.
thetornado16
3 prospects instead of their washing machine? Blasphemy!
rightwingrick
The Blue Jays got a great deal here. Mark Lowe has been exceptional this year, hitting 95 MPH, good command, and the best guy out of the Mariner pen this year. A really solid pick-up. We are sorry to see him go.
cahp1979
Good move . Please get rid of Loup!!!!!
canajay12
9th – Osuna
8th – Sanchez
7th – Hawkins
Lowe pitches 7th/8th if hawk and Sanchez are spent on previous nights and it still keeps Cecil and loup in lower leverage or lefty specialist roles. Nice solid play here.
greggw69
Man, if Chapman can be added to this ‘pen, wow. This team is looking very WS caliber…couldn’t have said that this time last week.
Tyler 20
3 prospects including your 3rd round pick last year? i believe jack z finally made a trade that i can appreciate.
thetornado16
I don’t like his numbers, but only time will tell. Guess it’s like how Vidal Nuno is panning out in a way.
Ray Ray
Eh, before the Jays traded away a big chunk their top 30 prospects none of these 3 guys were in their top 30. Even after only Wells was in the top 30 and he was #23. Quantity, not quality for the M’s.
spicol 2
Don’t know about this one but don’t hate it and the price was cheap. Is Lowe really that much better than Delabar or is he just a guy on a very hot streak?
ashley
This doesn’t look good and the Blue Jays have just traded most of their left-handed pitching, leaving little in the minors. Also, most of their top prospects are now on other teams. This is a do or die situation for Toronto now and if they fail, the team is going to be in deep trouble in the future unless they sell off a lot of pieces to restock the minors. If any of the starters get hurt, they now have no one to call up to replace them, except the same pitchers like Francis and Copeland that failed.
scissormetimbers
just be happy that they are going for it
jimmer
Wells is a solid prospect, and having seen Rasmussen, I think he has a big league career ahead of him. Really a substantial overpay, but that’s the going rate for “premier” relievers who don’t have much of a track record and suddenly explode for a great year I guess
AJ 10
I love the days when the armchair GMs are out in full swing. Especially ones who “believe” in Jesus Montero.
funkytime
God damn newfangled interwebs! (or insane lag from a busy trade deadline)