Blue Jays add bullpen depth in Panik deal with Miami for Cimber, Dickerson

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 29/06/2021 (1603 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Blue Jays front office got the ball rolling on mid-season wheeling and dealing Tuesday.

Toronto traded infielder Joe Panik and right-handed prospect Andrew McInvale to the Miami Marlins, bringing in reliever Adam Cimber and outfielder Corey Dickerson.

McInvale is a 37th round draft pick in 2019 who spent the start of the year with the Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats.

News and details of the deal were first reported by Craig Mish of the Miami Herald and MLB Network’s Jon Heyman.

The deal helps the Jays in two areas of need, while parting with a player who worked in an area of depth for Toronto.

Cimber, 30, has been a reliable option in middle relief for the Marlins this season, posting a 2.88 ERA over 34 1/3 innings this year. Reliability hasn’t always been something the Jays’ bullpen has been brimming with over the course of the year, so the addition of the right-handed sidearmer, who has a knack for inducing ground balls and soft contact instead of relying on high velocity and strikeout, should help to shore up Toronto’s staff.

Winnipeg Free Press | Newsletter

Mike McIntyre | On Sports

Thursdays

Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter.

Sign up for Mike McIntyre | On Sports

Sign Up

I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

Dickerson, a nine-year league veteran and all-star as recently as 2017, gives Toronto a much-needed left handed batter. The 32-year-old is hitting .260 with two home runs, 14 RBIs and a .699 OPS, though he is currently in a walking boot after landing awkwardly on a base in mid-June. Reports out of Miami earlier this month said Dickerson would been in a walking boot for three weeks before being reevaluated, meaning he likely won’t be available until after the all-star break at the earliest.

Panik, who signed with the Blue Jays ahead of the 2020 season, never played a game in Toronto for the club, because of border restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 30-year-old’s departure should mean more playing time for Santiago Espinal as a utility infielder. The Jays also have depth in the minor leagues that could factor in if need by, like prospect Kevin Smith, who is hitting .273 with a .938 OPS for the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons this season.

Acquiring Cimber in a relatively early trade — more than a month before the deadline — gives Toronto some important bullpen help during a heavy stretch of divisional games. Nine of Toronto’s 12 games before the all-star break, and 16 of its 26 games before the trade deadline, are within the division.

The trade has yet to be officially announced by the Jays, who host the Seattle Mariners for three games starting Tuesday night in Buffalo. First pitch goes at 7:07 p.m. ET.

Laura Armstrong is a Star sports reporter based in Toronto. Follow her on Twitter: @lauraarmy