The Blue Jays just engaged in a uniform swap with the Mariners. The models of those uniforms are a pair of right-handed relievers struggling to find outs for their respective clubs. Toronto gets Joaquin Benoit and Seattle lands Drew Storen.

Happy trails, boys. Hope you find peace in your new homes. 

This is a change-of-scenery trade, pure and simple. Both teams are hoping to see their acquisition generate a solid return in new cities. Neither team can afford to send these arms to the minors for a tune-up, so they’re hoping a new town and a fresh start will do. 

The Blue Jays need Benoit to give them more than Storen did, which is setting the bar so low that just about any replacement arm could clear it. While Blue Jays fans soured on Storen almost immediately, it’s worth noting that Benoit isn’t a superior option. In fact, in a lot of ways he’s inferior. 

Storen struggled this season, posting a Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP) mark of 5.00, by far the worst of his career. He was, at times, nowhere near the strike zone and painful to watch. If you throw out a rough April, Storen is posting a 4.97 ERA. That’s not what the Jays had paid for, but certainly not worthless considering Benoit missed portions of April and May with a sore arm, giving the M’s zero value. More to the point, Benoit has a 5.59 ERA since his return from the disabled list — worse than Storen.

Storen also walked fewer hitters, struck out more batters and has been healthy the whole year. 

Of the two, Benoit is the more reliable pitcher. I say that tentatively, only because he’s established a track record for throwing buckets of strikes. He’s also not seen a drop in velocity, while Storen is down almost four miles per hour this season. Stable velocity or not, Benoit’s numbers are inflated (highest FIP since 2008) this season because a couple of rough outings combined with an uncharacteristic surplus of walks against a few American League powerhouses tarnished him. 

Neither team risks much here, but if you’re betting on a bounce back the higher upside is with Storen. Benoit is 39, Storen is 28. Storen has been chaotic and could’ve used time in the minors to figure things out earlier in the season. That isn’t something the Jays can afford, so they’ve sent him west for a guy who is less volatile. Considering the marginal difference in salary, why not?

If Benoit stays healthy for the rest of the season and pitches like he has in the past, he’ll be a welcome addition. Of course, the same can be said of Storen. If Storen would have stabilized, he’d be the better bet considering his late-inning experience, swing-and-miss potential and age.

Regardless, this trade won’t move he dial for the Jays or Mariners. It’s a value move with high upside and low risk—and low probability of being relevant. This is the kind of trade you expect from the Jays. If you’re waiting for the kind of blockbuster deals they made close to the trade deadline last season, don’t hold your breath. The Jays don’t have that kind of bargaining power this year.

This trade just goes to show you how volatile bullpen arms are and how they can be found at a discount price are after a rough start. It’s a gamble. The only thing Jays and M’s fans now share is the hope that their respective gamble wins bigger than expected and that it's not the last one these teams make before the deadline.