Mariners swap Taijuan Walker for Blue Jays for PTBNL

Taijuan Walker returned to the Mariners on the promise that he would get a chance to be a starter and revive his reputation after 18 months of recovery from Tommy John surgery. The Mariners signed Walker with the goal of getting quality innings from a still young player who could be a role model for their other young pitchers, an example to flex their muscle development muscle, and potentially a trade-off at the deadline. Today, when the Mariners Walker traded to the Toronto Blue Jays for a Player who would later be named, it seems like all of those goals have been achieved to some extent. Ken Rosenthal broke the news:

Walker has been the talk of the trade deadline for the past few weeks, as a cheap hair, the goods of which looked well rejuvenated, with hints of even better command and mechanical consistency. It was anything but assured that Walker would be treated, although there was some question as to whether it would come before or after his final scheduled start prior to Monday’s deadline, which would be in San Diego yesterday. With the Mariners players striking out for Tuesday’s game and the Padres agreeing to postpone it, it looks like the Blue Jays took the opportunity to get a well-rested Walker and likely lock him in their messy rotation.

Toronto is a buyer made by the expanded 2020 playoff format, sitting at 15-14, 4.5 games behind the juggernauts at the top of their division (the Rays, of course), 3.0 games behind Cleveland and the ChiSox, which tied are for the first Wild Card, and after the Yankees by 2.0 games for second place in the AL East. With the two best clubs in each division making it, the AL Central race is mostly three clubs (Twins included) joking for seed, causing Toronto’s second Wild Card spot to lose. Their closest threats are Baltimore and Detroit, both looking sparkly but still clearly flawed. Walker does not make her a title contender, but if he locks her up for a playoff spot, helps stimulate her rebuilding, and her property earns a bigger chunk of the sweet nectar that is playoff TV revenue, it’s an understandable buyout for the Bluebirds.

The return for Seattle is a mystery, though we have a few clues. Teams may not trade players who are not in their 60s pool games in the 2020 season, however, several teams have already circumvented the spirit of this rule by making deals for PTBNLs, which prevents clubs from officially treating an official player , despite describing one or a list of a few acceptable players to select from if the rules allow. While the official deal is referred to as “Walker for PTBNL as cash”, it is encouraging to describe Jerry Dipoto and other reporters with the intention of being a player.

The Blue Jays have a decent farm system, and one of the better collections of young talent in the majors in general. However, many of their most intriguing players are at the extremes of their system, whether in MLB or in the 60-player pool, or have barely played above rookie ball as low-A. In any trade, Seattle might look to tackle some thinner areas of their prospect group, such as catching the left side of the infield, outside Cal Raleigh, or even midfielders outside their most threatening wave. If the Ms are interested in infielders, they can take a patient, long-term path and treat for one of Toronto’s more well-known Latin shortstops. Orelvis Martinez, Rikelvin de Castro, en Miguel Hiraldo are all talented teenagers with almost no reps above a rookie level between them. Martinez is one of Toronto’s top prospects, with a signing bonus higher than Walker’s pre-promotion salary for 2020, so he’s probably beyond Seattle’s potential return, but players like Castro and Hiraldo are more attractive. All three are likely to be 4-5 years away from MLB and will not be playing for their club this year, making determining how players are valued even harder than ever.

If Seattle wants closer, less toolsy talent, INF’s Kevin Vicuña of Otto Lopez could make sense. Vicuña is 22 with time in High-A, and a low-pop, low-K approach to dealing with versatile infield defense. Lopez has better offensive numbers, with an allergy to striking and good speed that pairs with similar defensive bias over the entire diamond. If Seattle instead looks for pitchers, they could follow their recent mold in 2020 RHP Nick Frasso of RHP Kendall Williams. Frasso is a slim 6’5 21-year-old who was Toronto’s 4th round this year, whose projectability and control fit a lot of what Seattle has focused on, with low-flying 90s things that can jump with force. Williams is even bigger, than a 6’6 20-year-old with a whippy delivery and already low heels from the 90’s. Williams has the body and frame (and hair) of Logan Gilbert with some good riding on his fastball and a nice little bite to his slider and change as a prep, but he has only been found in rookie ball so far as a pro.

We know the PTBNL only after the season, probably November 1st, and the reach of return can be surprisingly intriguing or overwhelming. We are, as we have heard so many times, in unsatisfied times. The corresponding grid moves are listed below, with RHP Zac Grotz up to fill the bullpen as Ljay Newsome slides in rotation for his first career start, José Marmolejos up to extend the bench, and Carl Edwards Jr. and Taylor Guilbeau see their seasons functionally over. M’s 40-man roster is now at 37.