Blue Jays trade All-Star OF Teoscar Hernandez to Mariners

Nov. 16 (UPI) -- The Toronto Blue Jays traded All-Star outfielder Teoscar Hernandez to the Seattle Mariners in exchange for pitchers Erik Swanson and Adam Macko, the teams announced Wednesday.

"We began our off-season with the intent to add impact and length to our lineup," Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto said in a news release. "In adding Teoscar to an already solid foundation, we feel we've become a far more dangerous offensive club."

Hernandez, 30, hit .267 with 25 home runs and 77 RBIs in 131 games last season for the Blue Jays. The 2021 All-Star selection hit a career-high .296 with 32 homers and 116 RBIs two seasons ago.

Hernandez made his MLB debut in 2016 for the Houston Astros. The Astros traded Hernandez and outfielder Nori Aoki to the Blue Jays in 2017 in exchange for pitcher Francisco Liriano.

Hernandez is eligible for arbitration this off-season. He owns a career .262 batting average, with 133 home runs and 380 RBIs in 651 games.

Swanson, 29, went 3-2 with a 1.68 ERA in 57 games last season for the Mariners. The right-handed relief pitcher posted a 4-12 record with a 4.13 ERA and sic saves over four seasons for the Mariners.

Macko, 21, was a seventh-round pick by the Mariners in the 2019 MLB Draft. The left-handed pitcher logged a 3.98 ERA with a 2-7 record in 26 appearances in three seasons at the minor league level. He was the No. 8 prospect in the Mariners organization, according to MLB Pipeline.