Astros finalize Daulton Varsho trade

Varsho will switch clubhouses prior to Monday’s series opener at Daikin Park in Houston. The Athletic’s Mitch Bannon reports the Blue Jays are getting starter Spencer Arrighetti, who is currently on the injured list with right foot nerve irritation, back in the deal. Varsho shores up Houston’s significant need for a center fielder after Jake Meyers struggled to the point that he was demoted last month. The 30-year-old played a key role in Toronto’s run to the World Series last year. He’s supplied seven homers and nine steals in 365 plate appearances across 99 games this season.

The Blue Jays don’t seem to be mailing it in, so it’s quite possible Varsho stays put, especially since the return likely wouldn’t be very significant. The Padres would likely use him in left, with Gavin Sheets losing some playing time.

This makes plenty of sense. The Phillies need another starter for the rotation and potentially another outfield bat as well. The Blue Jays could send any combination of Kevin Gausman, Shane Bieber, George Springer, and Daulton Varsho. The Phillies may also be interested in Jeff Hoffman for the bullpen. Would the Blue Jays want to take a chance that they can “fix” Andrew Painter? There is still time to go here and nothing imminent, but it seems like a pairing that makes sense.

Varsho’s exit velocity numbers are well down from last year, when he greatly upped both his slugging and his strikeout rate, but he had it working today. His hits left the bat at 107, 103 and 106 mph. Coming into the day, he had 36 batted balls at 100 mph and 22 at 103 mph in 66 games this season. Hopefully, it’s a sign that his wrist is doing much better following his brief IL stint.

Varsho, making his first start back off the injured list, broke through for the Blue Jays in the seventh inning with a three-run blast off Trent Thornton to put Toronto on the board. The home run was the start of a comeback for the Blue Jays, who entered the seventh down 5-0. It was Varsho’s first home run since May 13 and sixth of the season while hitting .256/.329/.419 with 28 runs scored and 20 RBI across 240 plate appearances.

Varsho had been shelved since June 7 due to inflammation in his left wrist. He returns to a .256/.331/.408 slash line with five homers, 17 RBI and five swipes through his first 236 plate appearances on the season. He’ll start in center field and bat sixth against Cubs’ right-hander Colin Rea on Saturday afternoon at Wrigley Field.

Blue Jays manager John Schneider expressed optimism that Varsho will be ready to get back to on-field work at some point in the next few days after receiving a cortisone injection to address a lingering left wrist issue. The 29-year-old center fielder was finally placed on the injured list prior to Friday’s game against the Yankees.

Varsho had missed the last five games with the injury. He was well in line with expectations, if maybe a little light on power, early on in the season. He was hitting .256/.331/.408 with five homers and five stolen bases in 236 plate appearances. It’s unknown at this time if this will lead to a long rehab, but given how long the Jays kept him on the roster expecting him to be available soon, it wouldn’t be surprising if this was a minimum stint.

It doesn’t really make any sense for Toronto to send Varsho to the injured list at this point since he’s already sat out five straight contests. The expectation is that he’ll be ready to return for Friday’s series opener against the Yankees after missing time with a lingering left wrist issue. It’ll be Myles Straw in center field on Wednesday night at the Rogers Centre.

Toronto skipper John Schneider told reporters Varsho underwent an MRI that didn’t reveal any structural issues. It remains unclear why he simply hasn’t gone to the injured list since he’s out of the lineup for the fourth straight game with a lingering left wrist issue. It’s plausible that he’s available off the bench, if needed, but the Blue Jays will roll with Nathan Lukes patrolling center field on Tuesday night.