With the New York Mets reportedly chasing free-agent starting pitcher Trevor Bauer, they cleared a spot in their rotation Wednesday.
The Mets dealt left-hander Steven Matz to the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for three right-handed pitchers: Sean Reid-Foley, Yennsy Diaz and Josh Winckowski.
Matz, 29, is in the final year of team control, having agreed to a one-year, $5.2 million contract last month to avoid arbitration. He endured a miserable 2020 season, going 0-5 with a 9.68 ERA in nine games (six starts).
The year before, he produced a career-high win total while going 11-10 with a 4.21 ERA in 32 games (30 starts).
In six major league seasons, Matz has a 31-41 record and a 4.35 ERA in 112 games (107 starts).
Reid-Foley, 25, has pitched for Toronto each of the past three years, largely as a spot starter in 2018 and 2019, then as a reliever in 2020. He made just five appearances last year, going 1-0 with a 1.35 ERA.
In 21 major league games (13 starts), Reid-Foley is 5-8 with a 4.40 ERA with 76 strikeouts in 71 2/3 innings.
Diaz, 24, has one game of major league experience, when he allowed two runs in two-thirds of an inning in relief for the Blue Jays in August 2019.
Winckowski, 22, has never pitched higher than Class-A since Toronto selected him in the 15th round of the 2016 draft. He has a career minor league record of 18-17 with a 3.35 ERA in 54 games (50 starts).
