Landing Teo
July 31, 2017: Toronto Blue Jays receive Nori Aoki and Teoscar Hernández from Houston Astros in exchange for Francisco Liriano.
Liriano couldn’t replicate his success in his second season with Toronto, ending up with a 5.88 ERA in 82.2 innings pitched. He was going to be a free agent at the end of the season, and the Blue Jays dealt the veteran lefty to the Houston Astros rather than waiting around, receiving outfielders Hernández and Aoki.
Toronto only had Aoki for 12 games before designating him for assignment, but in Hernández, they had a 24-year-old who had plenty of potential. That potential blossomed after a few years and, in total, Hernández went on to hit 129 home runs, have an OPS of .808 and an cumulative WAR of 10.6 with the Jays.
2020 Trade Deadline sets up for future Cy Young Award winner
On Aug. 27, 2020, the Blue Jays received Taijuan Walker from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for minor leaguer Alberto Rodriguez.
A few days later, on Aug. 31, 2020, the Jays received Robbie Ray from the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for Travis Bergen.
Walker gave up just four runs in his 26.1 innings as a Blue Jay, and the team won five of the six games he started. He struck out 25 batters and walked none. It helped the Blue Jays down the stretch during the COVID-19 pandemic season, allowing them to secure one of the Wild Card spots in the expanded postseason. Atkins gave up a minor leaguer in Rodriguez who has yet to play above Double-A.
Ray was just ok in the Blue Jays rotation to end the year. There were mixed feelings when Atkins re-signed him for $8 million going into the 2021 season, but those were quickly dispelled.
Ray went on to win the Cy Young Award, leading the league in pitching WAR (6.9), ERA (2.84), innings pitched (193.1), strikeouts (248), ERA+ (157), and WHIP (1.045). On a list of the highest-paid pitchers that season, Ray was listed 46th, proving the Blue Jays received an incredible amount of value for their dollar.