Skip to main content
Motor City Bengals
FanSided

Tigers trade pitcher no one wanted for volatile Blue Jays pitching prospect

It's more than we ever would've suspected.
ByKatrina Stebbins|
Share on FacebookShare on XShare on Reddit
Google Discover
Apr 25, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Detroit Tigers pitcher Connor Seabold (43) reacts after to an injury during the game against the Cincinnati Reds in the sixth inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images
Apr 25, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Detroit Tigers pitcher Connor Seabold (43) reacts after to an injury during the game against the Cincinnati Reds in the sixth inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images | Aaron Doster-Imagn Images

The Tigers' doubleheader against the Orioles on Sunday led to a flurry of roster moves, the highlight of which was Detroit reinstating Troy Melton from the IL. Melton pitched 5 2/3 innings and only gave up one run in the second game of the day, which the Tigers won. It's their lone win in their last 10 games.

So it's hard to remember — or care at all — about the roster move it took to get Melton back, but struggling reliever Connor Seabold was DFA'ed to make room.

He initially signed a split contract with the Tigers just ahead of Opening Day and made the roster, but fans immediately chalked this one up to one of those dubious Scott Harris bullpen moves that we all know and hate. We'd be lucky if anything came out of it but, as we all know, the Tigers have not been lucky this year.

Instead of letting someone claim Seabold off of waivers, they found a taker and swung a small trade for thim that's still bigger than Tigers fans would've predicted. They traded him to the Blue Jays in exchange for minor league pitcher Juanmi Vasquez on Wednesday.

Tigers trade Connor Seabold to Blue Jays for minor league pitcher Juanmi Vasquez

The trade is a homecoming of sorts for Seabold, who was released by the Blue Jays, who signed him to a minor league deal in January, two days before the Tigers picked him up.

Vasquez was an undrafted free agent signing for Toronto in 2022, and he's very slowly crept his way up through the majors ever since. He only just got to High-A in mid-August last season and has a 5.87 ERA there through 23 innings this season. His calling card is clearly his strikeout stuff; Vasquez has 13.7 K/9 this season.

But he also has 6.26 BB/9. It's pretty clear what his issues are.

So we shouldn't plan to see Vasquez in the majors soon, if ever, but it's still impressive that the Tigers managed to get a real human back in exchange for Seabold instead of just cash.

Harris making trade usually gives fans anxiety, because it always begs the question of what kind of no-name pitcher will Detroit be trotting out in their next high-leverage situation. In this case, there's really nothing to complain about, which sure is a rarity for Tigers fans these days.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Loading recommendations... Please wait while we load personalized content recommendations

Home/Detroit Tigers News