Hey, there’s a trade – and it’s got Cub-killer Randal Grichuk heading out of the NL Central. I’ll take it.
We've acquired OF Randal Grichuk from the Cardinals in exchange for RHP Dominic Leone and RHP Conner Greene.
Last season, Grichuk hit 22 home runs with 59 RBI and 25 doubles in 122 games. pic.twitter.com/624iYWvEx2
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) January 19, 2018
Grichuk was set to be a reserve outfielder this year, as the Cardinals added Marcell Ozuna, and Tommy Pham was elevated to a starting role (and there’s additional, young outfield depth behind them). So Grichuk is probably happy about this trade, which will reunite him with another former Cardinals starter who was sent there earlier this winter in Aledmys Diaz.
In return for Grichuk, the Cardinals are getting a reliever (Leone) who was very good last year and in 2014 (but really struggled in 2015 and 2016 (c’est la relievers)), and a pitching prospect (Greene) who really struggled upon repeating AA last year. Greene was still considered a top 15ish prospect in the Blue Jays system, though I suspect that was gonna slip on re-rankings.
Grichuk, 26, never quite matched the promise of his excellent 2015 campaign, and the Cardinals may not be all the worse for the wear in sending him out (ditto Stephen Piscotty). Not a bad way to pick up a useful relief arm, and an upside pitching prospect.
Pretty crazy to think that all of Grichuk, Piscotty, and Diaz are now gone – wouldn’t have thought that was coming just a year ago. Then again, all were disappointing in 2017, were going to be making salaries of note (not huge salaries, but a meaningful amount in the aggregate), and were rendered redundant by other pieces. I’m not looking to compliment the Cardinals unnecessarily, but I think they did well to move on.