:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/43092162/20140619_pjc_bk2_140.JPG.0.jpg)
A day after losing the seventh game of the World Series, the Kansas City Royals shipped off right-hander pitcher Liam Hendriks to the Blue Jays in return for what is expected to be a catcher. Hendriks was originally acquired from Toronto at the trade deadline along with Erik Kratz for Danny Valencia. The Australian starter was recently designated for assignment from the Royals to make room for Moises Sierra, so the return shouldn't be too large going back the other way. News of the deal originally came from Ken Rosenthal:
Source: #Royals trade RHP Liam Hendriks to #BlueJays. Return expected to be a catcher.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) October 30, 2014
As Mike Wilner points out, Hendriks is out of options and will need to win a long-man job in Spring Training or risk being shipped off again at the end of next March:
Hendriks will come to Spring Training with #Bluejays in 2015 out of options, so he'll compete for a swingman job with the big club. #Jays
— Mike Wilner (@Wilnerness590) October 30, 2014
In 32.2 innings with the Royals and Blue Jays this year, the righty had a 5.23 ERA with a FIP of 3.84. For the Royals, this means they ended up with Erik Kratz and half a season of Liam Hendriks for three years of Danny Valencia which is a little questionable, but they came within one run of the World Series so who are we to judge.
Update
The catcher going the other way is Venezuelan Santiago Nessy. The 21-year-old was once considered a possible catcher of the future, but his rise through the minor leagues has been slow and he spent 2014 split between Single-A Lansing and High-A Dunedin hitting a combined .231/.313/.332 with a single home run. He appeared on the Bluebird Banter Top 40 Prospects list prior to this season slotting in at #22.
The @BlueJays have acquired RHP LIAM HENDRIKS from the Kansas City Royals in exchange for C SANTIAGO NESSY.
— Blue Jays-Official (@BlueJays) October 30, 2014
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Santiago Nessy, 21, eligible for Rule 5 draft but wouldn't have been protected by <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BlueJays?src=hash">#BlueJays</a>. Gets them another spring look at Hendriks</p>— Shi Davidi (@ShiDavidi) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShiDavidi/status/527876627821494272">October 30, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>