Nationals trade Brad Hand to Blue Jays
The Washington Nationals traded left-handed pitcher Brad Hand to the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for catcher Riley Adams on Thursday, the Blue Jays announced.
Toronto will pay the remainder of Hand's $10.5-million salary for 2021, a source told Sportsnet's Ben Nicholson-Smith. That figure includes $6.5 million in deferred salary to be paid in three installments between 2022 and 2024, according to Cot's Baseball Contracts.
Hand is 5-5 with a 3.59 ERA and 22 saves in 42 2/3 innings this season. The three-time All-Star has been one of the game's most dependable late-inning relievers over the past five years, ranking eighth in both saves and WAR among qualified relievers in that span, according to FanGraphs.
The 31-year-old is the latest addition to a Toronto bullpen that ranks 13th in ERA and 17th in FIP, according to FanGraphs. The Blue Jays also acquired relievers Adam Cimber and Trevor Richards in recent weeks.
Toronto tried to acquire Hand during the offseason before he signed a one-year contract with the Nationals.
Adams, 25, was the Blue Jays' 17th-ranked prospect, according to MLB Pipeline. The backstop has appeared in 12 games for Toronto in 2021, hitting .107/.167/.179 in 30 plate appearances.
The 25-year-old owns a .239/.371/.487 slash line with seven homers and 17 RBIs in 35 Triple-A games this season.