CHICAGO – The Toronto Blue Jays added another experienced arm to their pitching mix by acquiring right-hander Tom Koehler from the Miami Marlins in exchange for low-A Lansing righty Osman Gutierrez.
Koehler, a 31-year-old earning $5.75 million mostly covered by the Marlins, has posted a 7.92 ERA and a 1.725 WHIP in 55.2 innings over 12 starts but is currently at triple-A New Orleans, where he’s pitched to a 2.16 ERA and 1.200 WHIP in eight games, seven of them starts.
Over the previous four seasons he’s been a durable innings-eater for the Marlins, logging 698.1 innings with a 1.372 WHIP in 126 games, all but seven of them starts.
The Blue Jays are still working through whether he reports to the big leagues or triple-A Buffalo. But he offers them a swing-arm who can start in the majors or serve as a long-relief man, allowing them to assess him as a reliever.
He’s under club control next year.
The Blue Jays have been depleted at both the big-league level and at triple-A lately.
Nick Tepesch started for the Blue Jays on Saturday but made it through only 3.2 innings in a 4-3 loss to the Cubs. Brett Anderson, signed to a minor-league deal this week, was making his first start at Buffalo on Saturday, while Joe Biagini continues to be stretched out as a starter.
Gutierrez, a 22-year-old from Nicaragua, posted a 7.85 ERA and 1.808 WHIP over 18 starts in his first year of full-season ball.
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