Report: Blue Jays finalizing trade with Mets to acquire pitcher Steven Matz

The Toronto Blue Jays’ active offseason continues, as they are finalizing a trade with the New York Mets to acquire starting pitcher Steven Matz, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reports.

New York will receive pitchers Sean Reid-Foley, Yennsy Diaz and Josh Winckowski in exchange for Matz, Passan reports.

Matz is coming off a tough, abridged 2020 season where he posted a -1.0 WAR, 0-5 record with a 9.68 ERA but compiled 36 strikeouts against 10 walks in 36 innings. He is expected to join the Blue Jays’ starting rotation and Toronto is likely betting that the upside Matz showed early in his career is the truest definition of what to expect in 2021.

During his last full season in 2019, Matz recorded a 2.2 WAR, 11-10 record with a 4.21 ERA with 153 strikeouts against 52 walks.

Matz had a strong start to his career, earning National League Rookie of the Month honours in May 2016, but he battled through elbow injuries in 2017, then rebounded to become a capable starter for the once-vaunted Mets’ rotation.

It’s been an atypically busy offseason for the Blue Jays, who appear to be declaring their intent for a sustained playoff run in 2021. Former Houston Astros outfielder and three-time All-Star George Springer signed a six-year, $150-million contract on Jan. 23 and was formally introduced to the media on Wednesday. Springer won World Series MVP in 2017, helping the Astros win their first World Series, a title that has been tainted after the revelation of the team’s cheating scandal.

Toronto wasn’t done there, acquiring infielder Marcus Semien on a one-year deal reportedly worth $18 million. Semien finished third in AL MVP voting in 2019 after hitting 33 home runs with the Oakland A’s, and provides insurance to burgeoning Jays infield stars Bo Bichette and Cavan Biggio.

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