The Toronto Blue Jays got their off-season started by trading for a familiar face.
The Blue Jays announced Thursday that they acquired Australian right-hander Liam Hendriks from the Royals in a deal that sends minor league catcher Santiago Nessy to Kansas City.
The Blue Jays sent Hendriks and catcher Erik Kratz to Kansas City for infielder Danny Valencia on July 28. Hendriks pitched in six games for the Royals, but had recently been designated for assignment to create 40-man roster space for another former Blue Jays player, Moises Sierra.
Hendriks pitched 32.2 innings in 2014, posting a 5.23 ERA between Toronto and Kansas City. He struck out 23 batters while walking seven and allowing 38 hits. He’s a command specialist who has a 2.89 ERA in seven minor league seasons. However, his stuff has yet to translate at the big league level, where he has a 5.92 ERA in parts of four seasons.
Nessy, 21, recently completed his fifth professional season. The native of Venezuela spent the 2014 campaign with the Blue Jays’ Lansing and Dunedin affiliates, batting .231/.313/.332 in 268 plate appearances. He also prevented 30 percent of stolen base attempts from behind the plate.
Hendriks, who was claimed off of waivers by the Blue Jays in February, could compete for a bullpen role in 2015. If he doesn’t make the team, the Blue Jays could attempt to pass him through waivers to triple-A Buffalo.