Blue Jays: Top ten trades made by general manager Ross Atkins

Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins took over the role late in 2015 after previous GM Alex Anthopoulos decided to part ways and head to the sunny shores of the L.A. Dodgers.

Since then, the Blue Jays have made the playoffs twice under Atkins and have also gone under an extensive rebuild, shipping out the veteran players he inherited and bringing up a young core that now occupies a sizeable chunk of the 2022 active roster. Atkins and co. have also drafted pretty well since taking office, adding names like Bo Bichette, Cavan Biggio, and Alek Manoah to the system.

While the front office of late has made waves with their high-profile free-agent signings, Atkins has also conducted his fair share of transactions, sending off veteran players for younger controllable assets and also making some big splashes, most recently as this past trade deadline. Not every deal has been a winner but the Blue Jays have pulled off some pretty impressive hauls over the past six to seven years under his watch.

Let’s take a look at some of the top trades that Ross Atkins has amassed since taking over as the Blue Jays general manager. In terms of the rankings, things taken into consideration were:

• Length of time spent with Toronto


• Multiple players and how they panned out either with the Jays or elsewhere


• Prospects/players sent the opposite way and their future outlook


• The aftermath of the trade (ex: player re-signed with the Jays, the player was used in another trade that benefitted Jays, etc).


• Off the field/external factors

Understandably, I do not expect everybody to agree with the rankings and would love to hear your feedback, as I will also add an honourable mentions list detailing some trades that were close and why they may be on the verge of being added in the near future.

More Articles About Blue Jays Trade History:

10. August 31st, 2020

Blue Jays receive: RHP Ross Stripling

Los Angeles Dodgers receive: RHP Kendall Williams and OF Ryan Noda

In a move to try and bolster the pitching corps during the shortened 2020 campaign, the front office decided to dip into their prospect pool and trade Kendall Williams and Ryan Noda to the Dodgers in exchange for five-year veteran Ross Stripling.

As a member of the Dodgers, Stripling had experience in both the rotation and bullpen, owning a 3.68 ERA through 143 appearances (59 starts) before being shipped off to Toronto. One of the big advantages about Stripling at the time was his experience at the MLB level and contract control, as the Jays were looking to crack the postseason for the first time since 2016 and needed some pitching help to get them over the edge.

The front office made a few more deals at the deadline, which pushed Stripling to the bullpen minus two starts but he struggled with his new club, posting a 6.32 ERA with 11 earned runs through 15.1 innings of work. The following campaign saw Stripling move back to the rotation and he started off rough once again, hitting the IL after his second start of the season and owning a 5.11 ERA come late May through eight appearances (he followed an opener one game but went seven innings, so I am counting it as a start). He would go on to finish the year with a 4.80 ERA through 101.1 innings while spending the entire month of September in the bullpen.

On the flip side, Atkins sent former second-round pick Williams and depth minor league outfielder Noda to California, which at the time seemed like a high price to pay considering those who followed the Jays minor league system was pretty keen on the right-hander from the famed IMG Academy.

In his first full season within the Dodgers farm system, Williams posted a 4.53 ERA through 23 outings in A ball, finishing the year with a 2.1 BB/9 and an 8.4 K/9 through 93.1 innings of work. Noda had a strong season in AA, smashing 29 home runs to the tune of a .901 OPS.

This trade ranks in at number ten because Stripling could be the Jays’ fifth starter this year and because it is still a bit too early to see whether Williams will pan out to be a starter at the Major League level. Stripling might be an important cog in the machine that is the 2022 Jays starting rotation but could be moved to the bullpen if he starts to struggle early into the season or if reinforcements are brought in (whenever the season begins). Regardless, he will be a factor on the Jays active roster this year and in my opinion has the inside track for the last spot barring an outside acquisition or a Nate Pearson show-stealing Spring Training.

If Williams does end up becoming an everyday starter and Stripling implodes this season before becoming free agent eligible at the end of the year, this trade will most likely move from #10 to trades the club would like to forget.

9. August 1st, 2016

Blue Jays Receive: LHP Francisco Liriano, OF Harold Ramirez, and C Reese McGuire

Pittsburgh Pirates receive: RHP Drew Hutchinson

This was one of the bigger trades Atkins pulled off in his first season as the Jays general manager. He had acquired relievers Jason Grilli and Joaquin Benoit over the previous two months but this deal saw the club acquire a veteran pitcher in Liriano as well as two top Pirates prospects in McGuire (#5) and Ramirez (#6).

Liriano was arguably one of the better pitchers on the Pirates roster at the time and the deal saw them gain some payroll flexibility by trading away roughly $10-12 million left on his contract. While the Jays squad did have some holdovers from the 2015 playoff run, adding Liriano to the pitching staff helped the club reach the Wild Card once again, with the southpaw earning a 2.92 ERA through 10 appearances with his new club. Liriano also made two relief appearances in the playoffs that year, tossing a scoreless 1.2 innings against the Baltimore Orioles while struggling in the ALDS against the Texas Rangers, securing only one out while giving up two earned runs off two hits with one walk.

McGuire is still with the organization and came in handy last season when the Jays catching staff hit the IL, with the Washington product appearing in 78 games and amassing a .654 OPS. Ramirez spent a few years in the minor leagues but left the Jays via free agency after the 2018 campaign. He made his MLB debut with the Miami Marlins in 2019 and is now with the Cleveland Guardians organization, owning a lifetime .271/.308/.405 slash line with a .714 OPS through 770 at-bats.

The reason this trade ranks at number nine is because of the asset the Blue Jays gave up to acquire all three players but also because of how important Liriano was for a future trade on this rankings list. Drew Hutchinson went the opposite way for the Jays and he has struggled at the Major League level ever since, bouncing between the Minor and Major Leagues and struggling to keep runs off the board while owning a lifetime 4.97 ERA through 107 appearances.

While Ramirez never did pan out for the Jays, the club still has McGuire in the fold, for now, adding another point to the win column when it comes to the overall outlook of this trade.

8. July 28th, 2019

Blue Jays receive: LHP Anthony Kay and RHP Simeon Woods-Richardson

New York Mets receive:  RHP Marcus Stroman

One of the top pitching prospects to come out of the Jays organization in the past decade, fiery right-hander Marcus Stroman was not silent when it came to his feelings about the Blue Jays front office. After a war of words between both sides, Atkins and co. eventually shipped Stroman off to the Mets and the Jays acquired two top prospects in Anthony Kay and Simeon Woods-Richardson.

At the time of the trade, it seemed like the club had sold low, as other starting pitchers traded at the deadline like Madison Bumgarner had yielded more prospects in return. At the time of the deal, both SWR and Kay were ranked in the top ten of Mets prospects and were both #1 and #2 when it came to pitching prospects within the New York organization. Richardson was further down the minor league ladder in A ball while the southpaw was close to the MLB stage and in AAA at the time.

https://twitter.com/timandfriends/status/1097541817506004994

Kay is still with the organization but has struggled to find a spot on the active roster, making his MLB debut back in 2019 and throwing to a 5.50 ERA through 27 games (seven starts) with a 9.7 K/9 and a 1.631 WHIP since then. Woods-Richardson on the other hand was traded at the deadline last season to Minnesota, which left a sour taste in the Jays fan’s mouths as he was one of the top pitching prospects in the organization at the time of the trade.

While he started strong in AA, SWR struggled through a good portion of June and most of July, yielding 23 earned runs through 20.1 innings pitched. He would go on to join the United States at the Tokyo Olympics last summer and upon his return, was a member of the Twins. He finished out the year in their AA affiliate but continued to struggle, finishing with a 6.75 ERA through four appearances.

At the time of the Stroman trade, his social media presence and drama between the front office had rubbed some fans the wrong way. Some were happy to see him go while others were going to miss his on-the-field production, a 3.76 ERA through six years with the Blue Jays that included two postseason runs, a return from a torn ACL, one All-Star appearance, and a Gold Glove Award. He recently signed a three-year deal with the Chicago Cubs prior to the lockout.

Coming in at #8, this trade did net the Blue Jays two top prospects while also dealing Stroman, who depending on who you ask, gets mixed reviews and results when it comes to popularity in Toronto.

Kay is still a part of the Jays organization but is in a tough spot when it comes to finding a role on the current roster. SWR has seen a fall from grace and was also used for a trade that you will see further down the list. Potential for this trade to move in rankings once SWR and Kay develop a bit more (could go up or down depending on which player) but for now, it sits comfortably here at eighth.

7. January 26th, 2021

Blue Jays receive: LHP Steven Matz

New York Mets receive: RHP Sean Reid-Foley, RHP Josh Winckowski, and RHP Yennsy Diaz

The second deal with the Mets to make the top ten list, Ross Atkins and co. reached out to New York and acquired southpaw Steven Matz, sending a trio of prospects the opposite way.

Coming off a rough 2020 campaign where he posted a 9.68 ERA through nine outings, Matz entered the Blue Jays roster with something to prove heading into his payday free agent year. It was not known whether the left-hander would feature in the club’s rotation or bullpen to begin the year but the New York product spent the entire season in the rotation. After a strong start and a shaky middle, Matz finished the year with a 3.82 ERA through 29 starts and 150.2 innings, collecting 144 strikeouts and a 2.6 BB/9.

Heading to New York was former top prospect Sean Reid-Foley, who was struggling to find a spot on the Jays active roster and could never fully cement himself in the rotation when given the opportunity. He spent a significant portion of the 2021 season on the IL with right elbow inflammation but did appear in 12 games for the Mets, posting a 5.23 ERA with 26 strikeouts through 20.2 innings of work.

Diaz appeared in 20 games for the Mets last season, riding the options bus between the MiLB and MLB for the club. He would amass a 5.40 ERA with a 1.480 WHIP.

Winckowski’s tenure with the Mets was short-lived, as the club traded him a few weeks later to the Boston Red Sox as part of a three-team deal that saw Andrew Benintendi head to Kansas City. Currently ranked as the Red Sox 20th top prospect, the right-hander appeared in both AA and AAA last year, starting 22 games and finishing with a combined 3.94 ERA through 112.0 innings.

This trade comes in at number seven, mostly because Matz only lasted the one season with Toronto and the prospects needed to get him here rank a bit higher than other trades mentioned before this.

While SRF had the most experience of the trio, Winckowski may be the one that got away from this deal as it looks like he could be Major League ready as early as next year and within the AL East. While losing these three prospects is not the end of the world for the Jays, having Matz as the fifth starter heading into the 2022 campaign would form a better rotation than say Stripling or Thomas Hatch (if Pearson begins the season in AAA).

Had the Jays re-signed Matz this offseason, this deal would probably rank a bit higher on the list but I am glad they decided to pass on what eventually amounted to a four-year $44 million contract with St. Louis Cardinals. Matz was solid for being the fourth/fifth starter in the Jays rotation and did his job well, moulding it into a nice payday prior to the lockout but a bit too rich for what the Jays currently need to address.

6. July 6th, 2021

Blue Jays receive: RHP Trevor Richards and RHP Bowden Francis

Milwaukee Brewers receive: 1B Rowdy Tellez

With the Blue Jays acquiring Adam Cimber a week prior, Ross Atkins was still looking to improve the club’s bullpen situation and found an answer in right-hander Trevor Richards from the Milwaukee Brewers. Heading to Toronto alongside Richards was starting pitcher Bowden Francis while fan favourite Rowdy Tellez was packing his bags for Wisconsin.

No stranger to the AL East through his three seasons with the Tampa Bay Rays, Richards became one of the go-to relief pitchers in Charlie Montoyo’s relief corps. The right-hander did have a few rough games where he allowed two or more earned runs but for the most part was solid on the mound, earning a 3.31 ERA with the Blue Jays through 32.2 innings while racking up 37 strikeouts compared to ten walks.

The Blue Jays also acquired prospect Bowden Francis, who currently ranks at #28 on the organization’s top prospect chart. Spending most of the 2021 campaign in AAA, Francis appeared in 14 games for the Bisons and finished with a 4.19 ERA and just 1.192 WHIP through 73.0 innings. There was a slight uptick in his BB/9 after the trade (2.8 to 3.8) but Francis could be a contender to make his MLB debut next season or could be used as trade bait for a team looking for an up and coming starting pitcher with contract control.

Heading to the Brewers was Rowdy Tellez, who was struggling as the Jays designated hitter and was losing reps in the lineup with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. now occupying first base. The Brew Crew were needing a first baseman and Tellez fit the bill, with the slugging left-hander posting a .272/.333/.481 slash line with seven home runs and a .814 OPS through 158 at-bats after being traded. He did find himself relegated to pinch-hitting duties on a few occasions with his new club but will surely benefit if the new CBA comes out with the universal DH rule between both leagues.

Ranked at #6, this trade is a bit tricky because there are a few different parameters at stake. For one, Richards is still with the organization for another two seasons of arbitration (under the previous CBA), which is great to see considering he pitched well for the Jays. That will hopefully carry over into next season but acquiring Francis as well, who helps bolster the Jays starting pitcher depth in the minor leagues, is a solid transaction. Richards was needed to help stabilize the bullpen and alongside Cimber, Tim Mayza, and Jordan Romano, he did exactly what was asked.

The downside of this trade is the loss of Tellez, as the California product was one of the premier left-handed batters in the Jays lineup but struggled to find consistency in the batter’s box. Tellez could emerge as an excellent DH over his career but it didn’t look like he was going to get that opportunity with the Jays.

https://twitter.com/BaseballBros/status/1116497943517904901

If Richards continues to pitch well and Francis can emerge into a Major League calibre pitcher, this deal could move up in the rankings, however, if Tellez can continue raking in Milwaukee and Richards/Francis struggle moving forward, a step back in the rankings may be in order.

5. June 29th, 2021

Blue Jays receive: RHP Adam Cimber and OF Corey Dickerson

Miami Marlins receive: INF Joe Panik and RHP Andrew McInvale

With the Blue Jays needing some help in the bullpen, Ross Atkins made a call down to Miami and acquired right-handed reliever Adam Cimber as well as outfielder Corey Dickerson in exchange for bench infielder Joe Panik and minor league reliever Andrew McInvale.

The move was what the Jays needed, as inconsistency and injury troubles were really impacting the Jays playoff chances and Cimber was able to come in and pitch well, finishing the season with a 1.69 ERA through 39 appearances while earning a 0.964 WHIP and a 1.2 BB/9. He was also with the Jays a week before Trevor Richards showed up and a month before the team acquired Joakim Soria and Brad Hand.

Cimber was heavily relied upon in the later innings and high-pressure situations, which is what the Jays desperately needed alongside Jordan Romano. Dickerson was also an added bonus, as the club gained a lefty-hitting power bat that they needed once Tellez was traded as well with Cavan Biggio spending time on the IL. He was still recovering from a foot injury at the time of the trade but he would suit up in 46 games for the Jays, compiling a .282/.329/.450 slash line with four home runs. The addition of Dickerson was a cash dump for Miami, who wanted his salary off the books but worked out well for the Jays considering they could use another lefty bat and outfielder on the bench.

Since taking over as Blue Jays general manager, Ross Atkins has made quite a few trades. Let’s take a look at the top ten since becoming the GM.

Heading to Miami was veteran Panik, who spent one and a half seasons with Toronto but never played a single game North of the border due to the pandemic. After the deal, Panik struggled in Florida, sporting a .462 OPS through 122 at-bats. McInvale went to AA and finished the year with a 5.70 ERA through 21 relief appearances in Pensacola.

Ranked at #5, the acquisition of Cimber is great for the Jays because he still has two years of contract control through arbitration (as per the most recent CBA) and will not cost a significant amount of salary to keep compared to free-agent options like Kenley Jansen. While it would be lofty to expect the right-hander to post a sub-2.00 ERA again this year, another solid season with the Jays will go a long way for fans who had to struggle through Tyler Chatwood and Rafael Dolis on the mound last year.

The assets needed to acquire Cimber and Dickerson will also not impact the Jays organization too heavily in the grand scheme of things, as Panik is currently a free agent, but Dickerson is also currently a free agent which does impact the rankings slightly. I would personally like for him to come back (and I am not the only one), as the Jays could use another lefty-bat, and will say that this trade would move up the rankings list if he was not a one-and-done candidate in Toronto.

4. July 8th, 2018

Blue Jays receive: RHP Ken Giles, RHP David Paulino, and RHP Hector Perez

Houston Astros receive: RHP Roberto Osuna

On the heels of controversy and in an effort to rid the clubhouse of a suspended Roberto Osuna, Atkins found a trade partner in the Houston Astros, sending two pitching prospects in Paulino and Perez while also dealing their closer at the time in Ken Giles to the Jays.

Giles was struggling at the time in Houston, famously punching himself in the head after giving up a home run to Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez in early May. Fresh off a World Series victory the year prior (depending on who you ask), Giles accumulated a 4.99 ERA through 30.2 innings with Houston and was demoted to AAA in an effort to refind his groove.

The hard-throwing right-hander would eventually find himself traded to the Blue Jays, finishing the year on the big league roster. Giles would become a force as the club’s closer, posting 2.83 ERA through 78 outings over a three-season span (that really only counts as one and a half given the trade and injury), collecting 38 saves with 111 strikeouts through 76.1 innings of work. The New Mexico product looked to be a stalwart in the Jays bullpen until he underwent Tommy John surgery in September of 2020 and only appeared in four games that year, eventually signing a two-year deal with the Seattle Mariners in the 2020/2021 offseason.

Both Paulino and Perez have spent a majority of their career in the minor leagues and are both no longer with the Jays organization, with Paulino being released by the club in August of 2019 while Perez was traded to Cincinnati early last season to make room on the 40-man roster and is currently a free agent.

This deal ranks at #4 because Atkins was able to trade Osuna out of Toronto and got a solid reliever in Giles in return, as it appeared that the organization was not going to be welcoming back the Mexico product once his suspension was over. This trade could have potentially ranked higher if Perez or Paulino panned out at the big league level but to get one and a half seasons out of Giles is not something that should be ignored given the situation. Understandably those years came when the Blue Jays were rebuilding but Giles was arguably the best bullpen arm for the club at the time.

The Astros released Osuna after the 2020 season and the right-hander needed Tommy John surgery but instead opted for alternative methods. He most recently spent last year in the Mexican League.

3. August 31st, 2020

Blue Jays receive: LHP Robbie Ray and cash

Arizona Diamondbacks receive: LHP Travis Bergen

In an attempt to shore up the pitching staff during the shortened 2020 campaign, Atkins acquired veteran starter Robbie Ray from the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for relief pitcher Travis Bergen.

Ray was in the midst of a rough campaign and that carried over to the Blue Jays as well, with the left-hander posting a 4.79 ERA and a 6.1 BB/9 through five appearances with the club. The command was a big issue for Ray all season, with the former Diamondback earning 45 free passes on the year compared to the 65 strikeouts he racked up between both clubs. Bergen would go on to make seven appearances for Arizona in his lone season in the desert, surrendering three earned runs in 6.2 innings of work.

The reason this trade ranks at #3 is not because of the 2020 campaign but because the trade for Ray last season set the stage for the Jays to re-sign the left-hander quickly into the offseason, bringing him back on a one-year $8 million contract. What followed was one of Ray’s best statistical campaigns, finishing the year with a 2.84 ERA through 32 starts while leading the AL in strikeouts (245) and innings pitched (193.1) and earning the Cy Young Award. He was easily the best pitcher on the Jays rotation this season and was a major factor in how the club got so close to making the postseason.

https://twitter.com/PitchingNinja/status/1440100433456943104

Had Ray re-signed with the Blue Jays this offseason, this trade would rank higher on the list but considering he was out after that one incredible season, it comes in at #3. It will be interesting to see if the left-hander can repeat his incredible 2021 campaign in Seattle moving forward but he has set himself up well with a Mariners organization that boasts some strong prospects and like the Jays, was knocking on the playoff doors last year. Another factor that may have moved this trade further up would be if he pitched well in the playoffs had the Jays made it.

Hilariously enough, Bergen would be traded back to the Blue Jays in late February (for $0 as per his MLB page) and spent the 2021 campaign bouncing between the minor leagues and the active roster. He is currently a free agent. Pretty much a free trade at that point.

1. July 31st, 2017

Blue Jays receive: OF Teoscar Hernandez and OF Nori Aoki

Houston Astros receive: LHP Francisco Liriano

While this didn’t seem like the biggest trade at the time, the development of Teoscar Hernandez on the Blue Jays roster over the past few seasons has turned this deal from a minor transaction to an absolute fleecing for the Jays.

Heading to the Astros was veteran Liriano, who was acquired the season prior as part of the package deal from the Pirates. Beginning the season in the rotation for the Jays, Liriano struggled to a 5.88 ERA through 18 starts, amassing a 1.621 WHIP and 54 earned runs through 82.2 innings. With the Jays entering a rebuild, Atkins sent the veteran southpaw to Houston in exchange for two outfielders in Aoki and Hernandez. With the Astros, Liriano struggled as a reliever, posting a 4.40 ERA through 20 outings before pitching to mixed results in the postseason. Liriano would leave the team via free agency prior to the 2018 campaign.

Aoki didn’t last long with the organization but Hernandez stuck around, struggling over his first few seasons to impress on the Jays active roster. He was hitting around the .230-.240 average mark in 2018 and 2019 while seeing some increased time on the diamond but it all came together for the Dominican product in 2020.

During the shortened campaign, Hernandez posted a .919 OPS with 16 home runs and 34 RBI through 190 at-bats, earning a Silver Slugger Award and some MVP votes in the process. Setting out to prove that season was not a one-off, after a brief IL stint due to COVID-19, Hernandez would become a force on the Jays lineup, finishing the year with a .296/.346/.524 slash line, 32 home runs, and a .870 OPS through 143 games. His 116 RBI put him close to the top of the leaderboards and he won another Silver Slugger Award while also earning All-Star honours. Hernandez has also been improving on the defensive side of the ball over the past two seasons, posting a -2 bDRS in both 2020 and 2021, which is miles ahead of the -7 and -12 bDRS he put forward the two seasons prior.

Overall, the Hernandez trade has paid huge dividends for the Blue Jays, who now have the star slugger under contract control for two seasons of arbitration under the previous CBA. Losing Liriano really cost the Blue Jays nothing looking at the bigger picture while Hernandez has turned into a staple on the Jays roster, begging the question of when the club will start considering extending their star outfielder.

Honourable Mentions

June 28th, 2018

Blue Jays receive: INF Santiago Espinal

Boston Red Sox receive INF Steve Pearce

Pearce would join the Red Sox and become the World Series MVP later that season while Espinal joined the Blue Jays minor league system and emerged as a potential everyday player last year, posting a .781 OPS through 92 games while also being the best defensive candidate at the hot corner. If the Jays do not find an outside source for third base and Espinal can prove last season was not a fluke, this trade will easily move into the top ten.

August 27th, 2020

Blue Jays receive: RHP Taijuan Walker

Seattle Mariners receive: OF Alberto Rodriguez

Acquired alongside Ray and Stripling, Taijuan Walker was a force for the Jays to finish out the campaign, sporting a 1.37 ERA through six stars with 25 strikeouts through 26.1 innings. Losing Alberto Rodriguez is not terrible but Walker leaving after the half-season is tough to put on the rankings list, especially since he took a step back with the Mets in 2021.