JAYS GET SOME RELIEF
The Blue Jays beef up their bullpen by acquiring reliever Drew Storen from the Nationals late Friday night,
Dealing from a position of depth to bolster an area of need, the Blue Jays traded outfielder Ben Revere to the Washington Nationals Friday night for right-handed reliever Drew Storen.
Storen, 28, served as the Nats’ closer last season prior to their trade for veteran Jonathan Papelbon. He could take over the same role in Toronto or pitch as the right-handed setup man to Roberto Osuna.
The Indiana native, who alternates a mid-90s fastball with a strikeout slider, has spent his entire six-year career in Washington, where he had a solid 3.02 ERA. Last season, he had 29 saves in 34 opportunities.
In Revere, the Jays part with a speedy leadoff hitter, who was acquired at last year’s trade deadline from the Philadelphia Phillies for a pair of minor-league pitchers. The club will miss his speed, but with Michael Saunders and Dalton Pompey both in the mix as potential everyday left fielders, Revere became expendable.
In his two-month stint in Toronto, Revere hit .319 with seven stolen bases. He had a dozen playoff hits, tying Jose Bautista and Kevin Pillar for the team lead.
The deal also requires the Jays to send a player to be named later to the Nationals, while the Nationals will send an undisclosed amount of cash Toronto’s way.
Storen, who is entering his third and final year of salary arbitration, is projected to earn $8.8 million (U.S.) this season — according to MLB Trade Rumours’ typically reliable model — roughly $2 million more than Revere is projected to make. GUILTY PLEA: The former scouting director for the St. Louis Cardinals pleaded guilty in federal court Friday to hacking into the player database and email system of the Houston Astros in an unusual case of hightech cheating involving two Major League Baseball clubs.
Christopher Correa pleaded guilty to five counts of unauthorized access of a protected computer, access authorities said dated from 2013 to at least 2014.