Seattle Mariners Executive Vice President & General Manager of Baseball Operations Jerry Dipoto announced that the club has acquired right-handed pitcher Drew Storen and cash considerations from the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for right-handed pitcher Joaquin Benoit.
"Obviously, this has not been Drew's best season, but he is closely linked to a run of great success pitching in the back end of very good bullpens," Dipoto said. "Hopefully this serves as a change of scenery and over the next two months we can get him back on track."
Storen, 28, was 1-3 with 3 saves and a 6.21 ERA (23 ER, 33.1 IP) with 32 strikeouts in 38 relief appearances with Toronto this season. He was designated for assignment by the Blue Jays on Sunday, July 24th. In his last 21 appearances, he posted a 4.66 ERA (10 ER, 19.1 IP) with 17 strikeouts (3.44 ERA if you exclude his last outing). He was acquired by Toronto from Washington on Jan. 8, 2016 in exchange for outfielder Ben Revere.
In his first six Major League seasons, all with Washington, he was 21-13 with 95 saves and a 3.02 ERA (112 ER, 334.0 IP) with 321 strikeouts in 355 games. In his seven Major League seasons, he is 22-16 with a 3.31 ERA (135 ER, 367.1 IP) with 353 strikeouts in 393 games. He was drafted by Washington in the first round (10th overall) of the 2009 MLB First-Year Player Draft out of Stanford University.
Benoit, 39, was 1-1 with a 5.18 ERA (14 ER, 24.1 IP) with 28 strikeouts and 15 walks in 26 relief appearances with Seattle this season. Benoit was placed on the 15-day disabled list earlier this season on April 25 (retroactive to April 22) with right shoulder inflammation and was activated on May 17. In 15 Major League seasons, Benoit is 55-43 with a 3.87 ERA (428 ER, 994.2 IP) in 687 career games, including 55 career starts. He was acquired by Seattle from San Diego in exchange for RHP Enyel De Los Santos and INF Nelson Ward on Nov. 12, 2015.