November 16, 2022: The Blue Jays receive Erik Swason and Adam Macko from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for Teoscar Hernández.
Swanson was great in his first year as a Blue Jay, not so much his second year. Macko is picking up steam as an arm that might be worth watching in the system.
However, it is really hard to justify giving up a power bat in his prime years, in a division like the AL East, for a relief pitcher that probably could’ve been found on the market (or in a lesser trade).
It also stings to send a guy that had endeared himself to the fans, and who had just hit two home runs in a playoff game, to the team that just beat you in said playoff game. To watch Hernández come up clutch in a big market like LA in last year's postseason was also hard to watch as a fan.
You feel amazing for the guy. You just don’t love the uniform he’s doing it in.
Conclusion: Is the Myles Straw move worse than any of these?
At this point, it’s probably just as bad as not bringing back Encarnacion or not signing Stroman to a long-term deal.
However, this could all be a moot point by spring training if Toronto finds that that money owed to Straw doesn’t actually handcuff them from making other big moves.
They’ve also spent some of that international bonus pool money on some prospects, and who knows how they will turn out?
But, for the time being, they have another ‘glove-first’ guy who spent all but seven games in Triple-A last season.
There’s no doubt it isn’t a great move, but we have to give him kudos for the possibility that maybe the Sasaki failure was the…straw that broke the camel's back, and will lead to the Jays prospering before the season begins.