Blue Jays fans, reporters outraged after Aaron Sanchez traded to Astros
There’s no place for crying in baseball, except for deadline day.
At least, that’s how it goes in Toronto as the Blue Jays jettisoned a number of veteran players ahead of the deadline, accelerating the team’s much-needed rebuild and putting the last vestiges of the 2015 and 2016 playoff runs behind them.
Aaron Sanchez, Joe Biagini and Cal Stevenson were dealt to the Houston Astros in exchange for outfielder Derek Fisher, sending a number of Blue Jays fans into a fit of rage.
After Marcus Stroman was sent to the New York Mets for what many considered to be an underwhelming return, the vitriol towards Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins and president Mark Shapiro is at an all-time high.
Here are the best reactions from Twitter.
Atkins stressed the importance of retaining team control through the aggregate sum of players acquired. That’s not adding up, for most.
On a conference call, Jays GM Ross Atkins says the team's moves have 'turned 14 years of control into 42 years of control'.
gonna be tough for the marketing folks to work that into a slogan.— Scott Stinson (@scott_stinson) July 31, 2019
Ross Atkin's public-facing persona routinely feels like a false flag operation by traditionalists to discredit analytics guys by making them sound like cartoon villains https://t.co/k44zM5uRPh
— Nathan Bernhardt (@jonbernhardt) July 31, 2019
“We turned a few used Yachts into an army of new paddle boats, and let me tell you, we’re going to paddle the shit out of these boats” https://t.co/8AIEFve5sy
— Jeff Veillette (@JeffVeillette) July 31, 2019
The somewhat underwhelming return for Stroman, Sanchez, Biagini and company is also a point of contention. Outside of Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Cavan Biggio, Bo Bichette and a handful of others, this could be a largely anonymous team for the foreseeable future.
I’m absolutely stunned by this trade.
I’ve followed Derek Fisher for a while and even though there’s an intriguing power/speed/OBP package, he has a 312-plate appearance sample size in the majors that screams AAAA or second-division OF.
He’s also about to turn 26.#BlueJays— Scott Mitchell (@ScottyMitchTSN) July 31, 2019
Listen, I'm not mad that the Blue Jays are gonna be Vlad, Bo and like 20 guys who definitely have pulses for the next couple of years. I'm just mad that you're trying to tell me to like it.
— SF (@s_findlay) July 31, 2019
The negative outpouring wasn’t unanimous, however. Sanchez has struggled immensely throughout the 2019 season, posting a 6.07 ERA, a -0.5 WAR and though win-loss totals should often be discounted, his 3-14 record certainly doesn’t help matters.
Sanchez is nowhere near his 2016 form where he earned his lone All-Star selection, while finishing seventh in AL Cy Young voting.
Aaron Sanchez has a hint of value for the first time in two years: Can't believe they traded him at his lowest possible value!
— Andrew Stoeten (@AndrewStoeten) July 31, 2019
It wasn’t going to happen here. They didn’t sell low. He isn’t a distressed asset. If the Astros fix him, awesome. But he’s been bad and hurt and both for a long time.
— Drew (@DrewGROF) July 31, 2019
Sanchez is now presented with an opportunity to recoup his value on an Astros team that is looking to win their second World Series in three years, while the Blue Jays march forward with the future only in mind.
It’s no comfort to the legions of fans who have grown tired of Atkins and Shapiro, however.
More Blue Jays coverage from Yahoo Sports
