Jackson Was Just Starting To Heat Up

The “Good Guys” dealt their #5 starter, Edwin Jackson, along with underachieving third baseman Mark Teahen to the Toronto Blue Jays for Chicago-native reliever Jason Frasor and starting pitching prospect Zach Stewart.

Shortly thereafter, the Jays used Jackson to acquire Colby Rasmus from the St. Louis Cardinals in an eight player deal – according to sources from ESPN’s Buster Olney.

Rumors and whispers around the league had the “Guys in Black” discussing a potential Jackson-Rasmus trade last week.  I guess we didn’t see enough in Rasmus to trade Jackson, and possibly Thornton, for him.

GM Kenny Williams is now looking back, wishing he would’ve kept Daniel Hudson, the pitcher he traded to acquire Jackson from Arizona last Summer at the trade deadline.

As for the two players we scooped up in return:

Frasor is 2-1 with a 2.98 ERA in 44 games with Toronto. The 33-year-old from Southern Illinois, has a club option for $3.75 million next season.

Stewart, 24, is 0-1 with a 4.86 ERA in three starts with the Blue Jays this season. He was ranked the team’s No. 3 prospect by ESPN Insider Keith Law this preseason.

Rios out, De Aza in: It was just a matter of time.  Rios is batting just .208 with six home runs and 23 RBIs, while Alejandro De Aza was hitting .322 in Triple-A Charlotte and was leading the International League with 124 hits and 190 total bases.  He cracked nine bombs, drove in 27 runs, and swiped 22 stolen bases.

Hopefully, the call up of the 27-year old De Aza provides some sort of spark to a club lacking luster.  Best-case scenario: De Aza lifts Rios’ play, generates electricity on the basepaths, and jolts the top of the order batting second.  Worst-case scenario: He captures a few bases, plays average defense, and is nothing special – warranting a demotion back to AAA.

Update: LHP Trever Miller has been rumored to be coming to the White Sox from St. Louis via Toronto. (South Side Sox)

Denied: Toronto decided against Miller coming to Chicago.  (Rotoworld via ESPN’s Buster Olney)