Toronto acquired $2 million in international signing bonus pool allocation from the Cleveland Guardians that could be used in its pursuit of Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki as part of a trade that also brought underperforming outfielder Myles Straw to the Blue Jays.
The Blue Jays paid $11 million for a replacement-level player, because they thought it would help them get Roki Sasaki.
The Blue Jays are adding another chapter to their book of “almosts” when it comes to signing free agents, as they watched 23-year-old Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki choose the Los Angeles Dodgers as his first MLB home.
The transaction, announced by the Guardians on X, also includes the transfer of international bonus pool space to Toronto.
The Toronto Blue Jays acquired outfielder Myles Straw from the Cleveland Guardians yesterday afternoon along with $3.75 million in cash and $2 million in international bonus pool money.
The Blue Jays acquired Myles Straw, cash, and international bonus pool space from the Guardians. Cleveland gets a PTBNL or cash. Read more at MLB Trade Rumors.
Myles Straw is the latest Cleveland Guardians star departing Ohio, as the outfielder was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday.
The Guardians have dealt another player to Toronto. The team announced Friday morning that outfielder Myles Straw had been traded to the Blue Jays along with international bonus pool money and cash in exchange for a player to be named or cash.
The push to sign Japanese right-hander Roki Sasaki is on, with the Toronto Blue Jays adding to their international signing bonus pool following Friday’s trade with the Cleveland Guardians.
This is the second trade this offseason, which has given the Guardians future payroll flexibility. Following the Straw trade, it's time the front office took advantage of that. There are two areas in which the Guardians could re-invest this money.
The Blue Jays acquired Straw, cash considerations and international bonus pool space from the Guardians on Friday in exchange for a player to be named later or cash considerations.