Marlins’ Anthony Bass, Zach Pop headline trade with Blue Jays for shortstop prospect

Anthony Bass spent the past two seasons as a high-leverage reliever for the Miami Marlins. Zach Pop has been an up-and-coming reliever since the Marlins acquired him last offseason, as well.

Now, both are on their way to a contender.

The Marlins on Tuesday traded Bass and Pop to the Toronto Blue Jays, along with a player to be named later, for shortstop prospect Jordan Groshans, who is ranked as Toronto’s third-ranked prospect by Baseball America.

Bass, who has a $3 million club option for the 2023 season, has put together his best big-league season this year. He has a 1.41 ERA with 45 strikeouts against 10 walks over 44 2/3 innings in 45 relief appearances. The majority of those have been in the seventh or eighth inning this season.

Overall, Bass has a 2.80 ERA over 106 innings with 35 holds in two seasons with the Marlins after signing with the club ahead of the 2021 season.

“It’s bittersweet,” Bass said. “I’ve really grown to develop some close relationships here in Miami. I’m gonna miss a lot of the guys and the coaching staff a lot. They helped me through the lows last season and trusted me and kept putting me in good situations to have success.”

Pop, 25 and a Brampton, Ontario native, has posted a career 3.98 ERA in 68 relief appearances since joining the Marlins ahead of the 2021 season.

With Rule 5 restrictions, Pop was on the big-league roster all of 2021 outside of one injured list stint. His MLB debut came after undergoing Tommy John surgery nearly two years earlier and jumping straight from Double A to the big leagues.

“When I came off Tommy John, I wasn’t really confident,” Pop said. “’Was I ready? Was I not ready?’ And then as we went through the year and into this year, the confidence grows. You start doing a lot better against other hitters and having success in the big leagues and constant success.”

Now, Pop has a chance to play for his hometown team and Bass returns to the team that he played for during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.

In return, the Marlins received one of the Blue Jays’ top prospects.

Groshans was the Toronto’s first-round pick in 2018, selected 12th overall. He has a career .283/.362/.402 slash line in the minor leagues. He has spent the bulk of the season in Triple A, where he has hit .250 with a .644 OPS, eight doubles, one home run, 24 RBI and 30 runs scored in 67 games.

Groshans’ scouting report, per MLB Pipeline: “Once thought to be a potential plus power hitter, he didn’t show much pop with the Fisher Cats, despite hitting the ball in the air more often. Groshans doesn’t exhibit exciting exit velocities typically associated with above-average slugging ability, but the Blue Jays are hopeful that those can return as he becomes more accustomed to the upper levels. That said, the right-handed hitter still has good overall upside with the bat. He doesn’t have much of an issue making contact with velocity or breaking pitches, and his strikeout and walk rates indicate a player with strong strike-zone awareness.

“A taller shortstop at 6-foot-3, Groshans showcases decent mobility and the quality arm needed to stick on the left side of the dirt. He made 21 starts at third base, and those are likely to increase the closer he gets to Toronto. His ceiling as an above-average regular remains intact, and if he can start turning around more power, that could be bumped up a level in 2022.”