The Mariners traded Taijuan Walker to the Blue Jays for a player to be determined later. There’s an interesting twist to the unknown player:

The reason for the “player to be named later” in the trade is that the prospect the Mariners are acquiring isn’t part of Toronto’s current 60-man player pool that is participating in workouts this season. It’s likely a lower level minor leaguer with high upside that was not invited to the player pool.

Given the guidelines set in place for this unique 2020 season, any trade for named players must be players within a team’s player pool. Teams can circumvent that stipulation by trading for a player to be named later and finalizing it after the season. That player to be named later must be announced within six months of the trade.

SeattleTimes.com

After a good 2017 season, Walker made just nine starts since the beginning of 2018, five of those this season. He needed Tommy John surgery in 2018, and missed almost all of that season and 2019 recovering. The Mariners signed him for $2 million this year as a free agent. Now that he showed he’s healthy, were Seattle flipped him for a prospect. Toronto currently holds the final playoff slot in the AL, the Mariners are four games behind them. This trade makes me think the Mariners see themselves as out of the race, even after winning four in a row. Maybe they have another deal up their sleeve.