jays trade

Toronto Blue Jays make shocking trade of popular players just before the holidays

The Toronto Blue Jays just struck a shocking trade before the Christmas holiday weekend.

The Blue Jays have struck up an agreement with the Arizona Diamondbacks to acquire Daulton Varsho in exchange for a package that includes Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and top prospect Gabriel Moreno, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN.

Varsho, 26, batted .235 with 27 home runs and 74 runs batted in in 531 at-bats in 151 games. He’s got a career .234 batting average over parts of three seasons with the Diamondbacks. He was originally drafted in the second round of the 2017 MLB June Amateur Draft out of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

He’s worth an estimated 6.7 Wins Above Replacement on his career, per Baseball-Reference.

Moreno, 22, had 22 hits in 69 at-bats with the Jays this season. The catcher was named Major League Baseball’s top prospect by Baseball America in July.

Outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. is also heading to Arizona in the deal, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post.

Gurriel spent five seasons with the Blue Jays. He hit .291 in 2022, but hit only five home runs in 121 games.

Lead photo by

Blue Jays


Latest Videos



Latest Videos


Join the conversation Load comments

Latest in Sports & Play

Rival MLB teams think that the Toronto Blue Jays 'reek of desperation'

VanVleet wishes Drake and DeRozan would get over Toronto Raptors banner feud

Beer-chugging Toronto Maple Leafs fan returns after team tried to shut him down

Budweiser steps in after Toronto Maple Leafs tried to shut up beer-loving fan

Toronto Maple Leafs dump one of their biggest fans over his choice in beer

Boston Bruins player takes subtle dig at rival Toronto Maple Leafs

Former Toronto Raptors player calls Drake selfish for DeRozan comments

Former Toronto Raptors star Fred VanVleet is having the worst year of his career