Blue Jays revisit historic 2015 trade deadline with latest addition

The days leading up to 2015 trade deadline were pivotal in Blue Jays history, as the club added Troy Tulowitzki and David Price to put themselves in position to break a 22-year playoff drought.

Less well remembered is their deadline day itself, although they did swing two deals. Strangely, one of them keeps popping up in the team’s latest minor transactions.

On Wednesday, the club claimed reliever Jimmy Cordero off waivers from the Washington Nationals. Given that Cordero just got cut loose by a team with a bullpen era of 6.20, it’s hard to describe him as an exciting add despite the fact his average fastball comes in at 97.5 mph.

He is, however, part of a fun fact, because the 27-year-old was one of two pitchers the Blue Jays sent to the Philadelphia Phillies to land Ben Revere, the leadoff hitter through their 2015 playoff run - and victim of the most famous 2-1 strike call in club history.

Revere, who hit .319/.354/.381 in his brief stint in Toronto, was also brought back into the fold by the Blue Jays in late April and is currently toiling at Triple-A - where he’ll now be joined by Cordero.

As far as team building strategies go, bringing back guys who were part of a medium-sized trade four years ago and have declined in value since isn’t exactly ironclad. It could serve as a reminder of a better time for some, though.

Because of the Blue Jays’ nightmare of an outfield situation it’s possible Revere sees some time with the big club at some point. Cordero could also get a look because of the fluidity of any MLB bullpen. It would be unfair to expect much from either.

The third man in the 2015 trade, Alberto Tirado, last appeared in affiliated ball in a season ago when he put up a solid but unspectacular year for the Phillies Double-A team as a 23-year-old. He’s probably available as well if the Blue Jays want to complete the set.

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