Blue Jays acquire Taijuan Walker from the Mariners

For the second time in less than a week, the Toronto Blue Jays and Seattle Mariners have consummated a trade with one another.

According to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports, the Blue Jays have acquired pitcher Taijuan Walker from the Mariners in exchange for a prospect to be named later. The minor-leaguer who will be headed back to Seattle is not currently rostered on the team’s 60-man player pool.

Walker joined the Mariners this past season after missing most of the past two seasons with injuries. The right-hander currently sports 2-2 record with a 4.00 earned run average while fanning 25 in 27 innings of work this season.

The 28-year old is currently earning $2 million this season and will become a free agent at the conclusion of the 2020 campaign.

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The Blue Jays need for an additional starter became heightened after Nate Pearson, Matt Shoemaker and Trent Thornton hit the injured reserve in the past couple weeks. Walker will slide into the rotation once he clears the necessary COVID screening measures.

Earlier in the week, the team landed slugger Daniel Vogelbach from Seattle in exchange for cash considerations. Vogelbach has yet to suit up for Toronto due to the requirements of the screening process.

Walker is a former 1st round selection of the Mariners but was traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks in the Ketel Marte/Jean Segura trade in 2016. In eight MLB season, Walker owns a respectable 3.95 earned run average while compiling an 8.2 SO/9 rate in 102 games which includes 99 starts.

The Blue Jays currently sit in third place in the American League East with a 15-14 record and 4.5 games back of the first-place Tampa Bay Rays. It was speculated that the team would look to add a starter before the deadline with the Angels and Pirates being rumoured as possible matches.

Walker is a rental player for the remainder of the season but presumably a nice low-cost addition for the final six weeks of the season.