Toronto Blue Jays left fielder Ben Revere (7) loses his batting helmet while rounding second base on a first inning triple during a game against the Tampa Bay Rays at the Rogers Centre on Sept. 25, 2015.Fred Lum/The Globe and Mail
The Toronto Blue Jays have added to their bullpen by acquiring right-handed pitcher Drew Storen from the Washington Nationals.
Toronto sent outfielder Ben Revere and a player to be named later back to Washington to complete the deal.
The 28-year-old Storen had sought a deal, having lost his closer role in late July when the Nationals acquired Jonathan Papelbon from Philadelphia.
Storen had converted 29 save chances and had a 1.73 earned-run average when the Nats got Papelbon. Shifted to an eighth-inning role following that deal, Storen struggled and finished the season with a 3.44 ERA without another save. His season ended in mid-September when he slammed his locker in frustration and broke his right thumb.
Storen was 21-13 with 95 saves and a 3.02 ERA in six major league seasons, all with the Nationals. He had a 1.12 ERA in 65 games in 2014.
For all his success in the Washington bullpen, the right-hander also was tagged with two big blown saves in the playoffs.
Storen failed to close out St. Louis in the ninth inning of the deciding Game 5 in the 2012 NL Division Series, and also let a ninth-inning lead slip away in Game 2 of the 2014 NLDS against San Francisco.
Storen joins a Toronto relief corps that relied on young Roberto Osuna as the main closer last year. At 20, Osuna led the team with 20 saves.
Revere, 27, was acquired by Toronto from the Phillies on July 31 as the club pushed for the post-season. He posted a .319 average with in 56 games with the Jays. The left-handed hitter added 31 stolen bases on the season — his fourth season with 30 or more.
With files from The Associated Press