Nestor Molina and Sergio Santos: The trade is pretty ‘Close’
The Toronto Blue Jays traded top prospect, Nestor Molina to the Chicago White Sox for Sergio Santos
Many Blue Jays and JaysProspects fans have been begging for a trade or a signing as of late…
They got their wish.
Around 1:00pm today, it was announced that a trade between the Chicago White Sox and the Toronto Blue Jays took place. The culprits? White Sox reliever/closer, Sergei Santos, and top Blue Jays prospect, Nestor Molina.
How the trade looks:
Nestor Molina
The White Sox are receiving a strong right-hander with five years of minor league experience. Though most of that time came as a reliever, the young 22-year-old recently spent the last year as a starter and finished the year going 12-3 with a 2.21 ERA between Dunedin (A+) and New Hampshire (AA). He also had a great WHIP of 0.997, striking out 148 while only walking 16 in over 130 innings pitched.
Santos recorded 30 saves in his first full year with the White Sox in 2011
Sergio Santos
While the Blue Jays are losing a top prospect, who Alex Anthopoulos stated could easily become their closer in the near future, the team is gaining a player who is quite comparable to who Molina could become in a few years. If you liked Molina’s high strikeout rates, Santos’s will only make a fan happier as the 28 year old struck out 92 hitters in just 63.1 innings last season. Which, in lament terms, equals to be about 13 K/9! In addition, while the Blue Jays were looking for a closer, that is exactly what they got as Santos saved 30 games in 63, last season, ranking him 8th in the American League.
The added benefit for the Blue Jays
Santos’ contract is club friendly. While they were speculated to attempt to trade for closers such as Huston Street or Andrew Bailey, the amount of Jays Prospects needed to get the deal done would have far surpassed the overall benefit.
Santos contract is as follows: He will earn a total of 8.25 million over the near three years, followed by three club options. Over six years, he could be making a maximum of $31.5M.
The Detriment to the Blue Jays
Okay so perhaps detriment is not the right word, but aside from losing a top prospect, the Blue Jays can in some ways laugh at this trade as Santos was once a member of the Blue Jays’ organization… as a position player. After being drafted in the first round of the 2007 MLB Draft by the Diamondbacks, Santos soon found himself having 93 at-bats as a Blue Jays prospect with the Las Vegas 51s (AAA). He was, however, picked off waiver by the Minnesota Twins at the end of the season and when he joined the Sox in 2009, was converted to a pitcher.
Overall
While it can be said that it is too early to speculate who won the overall trade as Molina has still yet to pitch in the majors, it is evident that both teams gained a great player. While each player has their strengths, the trade is slightly favoured to the Blue Jays, who were in need of a closer, and gained a valuable player who is controllable for the next few years at a very low cost.
With that said, Molina, a strong, strong player will now join the White Sox pitching staff, including recent JaysProspect, Zach Stewart. JaysProspects wishes him the best of luck with his new team.
As to, Sergio Santos, all we can say is – - Welcome to the Blue Jays!
April – while the Jay’s had a dozen or so high end starters in the minors it was widely accepted in particular they had FIVE very high end YOUNG starters: Hutchison, Syndergaard, Nicolini, Norris, and Molina.
They’ve just traded the oldest Molina (22) for a closer with the “best slider in the show” of which KLaw says its very late break makes it “look like it is falling off a cliff.” AND – they’ll have 3 years real cheap and a total of 6 years of control if he looks to be a keeper!
AA has said his “Plan” was to get as many top prospects as possible – use some – and trade the others for what we need. Viola, mission accomplished. Sergio was otherworldly early last year (no runs allowed in April, for instance) and wore down a bit as the year went on. BUT – he’s as strong as a horse, his arm is nearly “new,” and he fills a big hole very well!
AA continues to be – without question – the master of the dance, the Silent Assassin! He is clearly reading from a play book other GM’s didn’t even know exists.