Toronto deals away pitchers Loup, Axford

TORONTO — The Toronto Blue Jays traded two relief pitchers for prospects before Tuesday’s non-waiver trade deadline, sending long-serving left-hander Aaron Loup to the Philadelphia Phillies and Canadian right-hander John Axford to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The 30-year-old Loup, the longest-tenured Blue Jay before the trade, was dealt for minorleague right-handed pitcher Jacob Waguespack. Axford, 35, was traded for right-hander Corey Copping.

Tuesday’s deals ended a busy period for Toronto that also saw the Jays deal controversial closer Roberto Osuna to Houston and left-handed starter J.A. Happ to the New York Yankees.

The cumulative return for the Blue Jays is a mixed bag. Some new acquisitions such as infielder Brandon Drury and closer Ken Giles are major-league ready, while others will bolster the Jays’ system for now.

“Adding these pieces is extremely exciting,” Jays general manager Ross Atkins said Tuesday on a conference call. “We’re going to have a lot of opportunity over the off-season to optimize our young talent with the right complementary pieces.”

The 24-year-old Waguespack, a six-foot-six, 225-pound pitcher from Waco, Texas, is a combined 4-6 with a 4.68 ERA in 21 games for the double-A Reading Fightin Phils the triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs.

Copping, 24, is 4-0 with a 2.52 ERA in 35 games for the double-A Tulsa Drillers and triple-A Oklahoma City Dodgers.