CHICAGO — About 16 hours after completing the largest deal of the MLB trade season, the Mariners made a second trade Friday afternoon to bolster their bullpen.
The Mariners announced the acquisition of veteran Toronto Blue Jays relief pitcher Yimi Garcia, generally considered the best reliever available on the market.
That came a day after the Mariners added the best available hitter on the market, Randy Arozarena, in a deal with Tampa Bay.
Both Arozarena and Garcia are scheduled to arrive in Chicago on Saturday morning and should be in uniform with the Mariners for their second game of the series against the White Sox on Saturday night.
“They’re both veteran players. They’ve been around this league and had a lot of success,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said Friday afternoon. “So when they come in, we expect them to give us a boost.”
The Mariners traded 22-year-old rookie outfielder Jonatan Clase to Toronto as the centerpiece of the Garcia trade.
Class, ranked as the Mariners’ No. 13 prospect by Baseball America, hit .195 with a .453 OPS in his first 41 major league at-bats this season.
The Mariners are also sending minor league catcher Jacob Sharp to Toronto to complete the deal.
Garcia, a 33-year-old right-hander, offers help in the back end of a bullpen that has looked worn down in recent weeks.
Garcia, considered one of the best bullpen pitchers, had a 2.70 ERA with five saves, 42 strikeouts and a 0.80 WHIP in 30 innings for the Blue Jays this season.
Garcia will be a free agent after this season.
On Wednesday, the Mariners’ new senior pitcher, Gregory Santos, left the game in the eighth inning with a knee injury.
Servais gave an encouraging update on Santos. An MRI on Santos’ knee came back “good,” Servais said.
Santos was scheduled to work out with team trainers on Friday afternoon and Servais is hopeful Santos will be available in the bullpen on Saturday.