Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports tweeted Friday that Oakland will send Jesse Chavez to the Blue Jays. The Toronto Blue Jays will send right-handed pitcher, Liam Hendriks to the Oakland ball club in return.
Sources: #BlueJays acquire #Athletics’ Jesse Chavez.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) November 21, 2015
According to Bill Baer of NBC Sports, the 32 year old right-hander is entering his third and final year of arbitration eligibility. Chavez had a much larger role for the A’s in 2014, this season he was mostly squeezed out of the rotation. In 2014 Chavez made 21 starts and 11 relief appearances. He is considered to be a flexible pitcher due to his ability to start or pitch in relief which the Blue Jays like. Chavez finished the 2015 season with a 4.16 ERA, and a 136/48 strikeout to walk
For Hendriks 2015 was his break out year. In his fifth Major League season Hendriks posted a 2.92 ERA and a 71/11 strikeout to walk ratio in 64 2/3 innings as a relief pitcher. In his previous four seasons Hendriks’ ERA was above 5.00 each year. Hendriks, 26, will not be eligible for free agency till after the 2019 season.
The @BlueJays acquired RHP Jesse Chavez from the Oakland Athletics today in exchange for RHP Liam Hendriks. pic.twitter.com/ZKy5BoitMT
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) November 21, 2015
Shi Dividi of Sports Net Canada writes that the Blue Jays are in need of a starter to fill in the fifth slot. Currently, the rotation stands with Marco Estrada, Marcus Stroman, R.A Dickey and Drew Hutchinson with David Price a free agent. Chavez went 7-15 with a 4.18 last season, the Oakland A’s made it to the post season in 2014 however finished last in the AL West in 2015 going 68-94. The 2015 AL MVP Josh Donaldson spent his first four seasons with the A’s before being dealt to the Blue Jays.
Reports say the Chavez acquisition is similar to last off-seasons acquisition of Marco Estrada.
NEW YORK, NY – JUNE 4: Jesse Chavez #60 of the Oakland Athletics delivers a pitch against the New York Yankees during the first inning in a MLB baseball game at Yankee Stadium on June 4, 2014 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
