This article analyzes the impact of the Blue Jays' 2016 trade that sent Greene and Leone to the Cardinals for Grichuk. It also examines George Springer's performance after signing a hefty contract with the team in 2019.
Seven years ago, the Toronto Blue Jays made a trade that sent pitchers Conner Greene and Dominic Leone to the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for outfielder Randal Grichuk . Greene, once a highly regarded prospect ranked 100th on Baseball Prospectus' Top 100 Prospect List in 2016, struggled to find consistency in his MLB career. He faced control issues, walking 86 batters compared to 92 strikeouts during his time in New Hampshire in 2017.
After a disappointing stint with the Cardinals, Greene was designated for assignment and bounced around organizations like the Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Dodgers, Baltimore Orioles, and even ventured to play in Mexico for a couple of years. In 2024, he played in Triple-A Sugar Land within the Houston Astros organization. His overall MLB experience has been limited to 25.1 innings with a 7.11 ERA.Leone, on the other hand, had a successful run with the Blue Jays after being acquired from the Arizona Diamondbacks on waivers before the 2017 season. He excelled in the bullpen, posting a remarkable 2.56 ERA in 65 relief appearances, striking out 81 batters while walking just 23. However, his performance declined with the Cardinals, managing a 5.15 ERA in 64.2 innings over two seasons. He was released in November 2019 and continued to play for several teams, including the Cleveland Guardians, San Francisco Giants, New York Mets, Los Angeles Angels, Seattle Mariners, and Chicago White Sox. In 429 MLB games across eleven seasons, he has accumulated a 3.94 ERA with 444 strikeouts and 192 walks.Grichuk, the piece acquired by the Blue Jays, spent four seasons with the team, hitting .243/.289/.461 with 90 home runs. While he had moments of brilliance, he never quite reached the superstar status anticipated. His bWAR over those four years was 4.4. The trade itself is considered a win for the Blue Jays, especially considering Grichuk's five-year, $52 million contract. He was traded to the Colorado Rockies just before the 2022 season, with the Rockies sending $9.7 million along with Raimel Tapia and prospect Adrian Pinto to the Blue Jays. Tapia was released, while Pinto split the 2024 season across three minor league levels, hitting .330/.378/.573 in 26 games. Despite hopes that Denver would be a better fit, Grichuk's performance didn't improve significantly with the Rockies, posting a .275/.321/.448 batting line with 27 home runs in 204 games over two seasons. In July 2023, he was traded to the Los Angeles Angels. Grichuk then had a strong season with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2024, hitting .291/.348/.528 with 12 home runs in 106 games.Four years ago, the Blue Jays signed George Springer to a six-year, $150 million contract. He has completed four seasons, and his performance has gradually declined each year, raising concerns about the remaining two years of the deal.
TORONTO BLUE JAYS Randal Grichuk Conner Greene Dominic Leone George Springer MLB TRADE PROSPECTS PLAYER PERFORMANCE
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Today in Blue Jays History: Jays Trade for GrichukAnd Sign George Springer
Read more »
The Costly Blue Jays Trade That Cost Gord Ash His JobOn January 14, 2001, the Toronto Blue Jays traded David Wells and Matt DeWitt to the Chicago White Sox for Mike Sirotka, Mike Williams, Kevin Beirne, and Brian Simmons. The trade, intended to bolster the Blue Jays' pitching staff, backfired spectacularly due to a pre-existing shoulder injury in Sirotka, who never pitched for the team. The article details the fallout of the trade, including the disappointing performances of other players involved and the eventual firing of Blue Jays General Manager Gord Ash.
Read more »
The Sirotka Debacle: A Trade That Haunted the Blue JaysThis article recounts the infamous 2001 trade between the Toronto Blue Jays and Chicago White Sox involving David Wells and Mike Sirotka. The deal aimed to bolster the Jays' pitching, but Sirotka's pre-existing shoulder injury rendered him ineffective, costing the team millions and ultimately contributing to the dismissal of Blue Jays GM Gord Ash.
Read more »
Today in Blue Jays History: Brandon Morrow TradeFifteen years ago today The Blue Jays traded Brandon League and Johermyn Chavez to the Mariners for Brandon Morrow. Hugo posted this: Ken Rosenthal reported last night that the Jays traded...
Read more »
Revisiting the Blue Jays' Trade of Brandon League and Johermyn Chavez for Brandon MorrowFifteen years ago, the Toronto Blue Jays traded Brandon League and Johermyn Chavez to the Seattle Mariners for Brandon Morrow. This news piece reflects on the trade and analyzes the performance of both players after the deal.
Read more »
The Olerud Trade: A Blue Jays RegretThis article reflects on a trade made by the Toronto Blue Jays 28 years ago, where John Olerud was traded to the Mets for Robert Person. The author argues that this trade was a mistake, as it involved trading a promising young player (Olerud) for a less established pitcher (Person).
Read more »