TORONTO — The Toronto Blue Jays continue to move pieces of their roster to rebuild for the future, trading reliever David Phelps and cash considerations to the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday for minor-league pitcher Thomas Hatch.
Phelps appeared in 17 1/3 innings with the Blue Jays this season, pitching to a 3.63 earned-run average with seven walks and 18 strikeouts.
The 32-year-old right-hander signed with Toronto in January but didn't make his Blue Jays debut until June because he was recovering from having Tommy John surgery last year.
Hatch, 24, has a 4-10 record with a 4.59 ERA across 21 starts for double-A Tennessee this season. The six-foot-one right-hander has been used exclusively as a starter throughout his three minor league seasons, combining for a 4.10 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP with 336 strikeouts over 368 1/3 innings pitched.
Hatch was selected by the Cubs in the third round of the 2016 draft out of the University of Oklahoma. He was originally drafted out of high school by Colorado in the 32nd round in 2013.
The trade is the third made by Toronto since Sunday.
The Blue Jays sent right-hander Marcus Stroman to the New York Mets for a pair of pitching prospects and infielder Eric Sogard to the Tampa Bay Rays for players to be named later. Both of those moves happened Sunday.
The MLB trade deadline is Wednesday.
The Canadian Press
