Blue Jays acquire Varsho from Diamondbacks for Moreno, Gurriel

Former Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Daulton Varsho watches his three-run home run off Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Austin Gomber during the fifth inning of a baseball game Friday, Sept. 9, 2022, in Denver. (David Zalubowski/AP)

By Sportsnet staff

Posted December 23, 2022 4:55 pm.

Last Updated December 23, 2022 4:56 pm.

The Toronto Blue Jays have acquired lefty batter Daulton Varsho from the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for top catching prospect Gabriel Moreno and outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr., the team confirmed on Friday.

Varsho, 26, joins the Blue Jays after hitting .235 with 27 home runs, 74 RBI and 16 stolen bases last season with Arizona.

The Wisconsin native spent time defensively behind the plate and in both centre and right fields.

A first-round pick of the Diamondbacks in 2017, Varsho comes with four years of team control, becoming free-agency eligible after the 2026 season.

Gurriel Jr. has spent parts of the last five seasons with Toronto. In 2022, he hit .291 with five home runs in 121 games. The 29-year-old is also set to become a free agent after 2023.

Moreno, the Blue Jays top prospect, played in 25 big league games last season, slashing .319/.356/.377 in 73 plate appearances.

Varsho ranked as the top defensive outfielder in the majors by outs above average (18) in 2022.

As the Blue Jays have prioritized run prevention this off-season, he will fit right in with the additions of Kevin Kiermaier, Chris Bassitt and Erik Swanson.

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