Mariners trade Saunders to Blue Jays for Happ

The Toronto Blue Jays addressed their glaring hole in left field Wednesday evening, acquiring Michael Saunders from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for left-hander J.A. Happ, the team announced.

Saunders, a British Columbia native, is set to take over in left field for Melky Cabrera, who's increasingly likely to sign elsewhere as a free agent after two seasons with the Blue Jays. Though Saunders compiled 5.3 WAR with a 111 OPS+ over the last three seasons, his relationship with the Mariners reportedly turned sour after general manager Jack Zduriencik chided his inability to stay healthy following the 2014 campaign.

Happ's departure also creates a vacancy in the rotation that should allow top prospect Aaron Sanchez to transition back into a starting role after spending the second half of the 2014 season in Toronto's bullpen. Sanchez, the 34th overall selection in the 2010 draft, fashioned a 1.09 ERA with a 0.70 WHIP over 33 relief appearances last season but spent the majority of his minor league career as a starter.

The Mariners, meanwhile, will likely look to inject Happ into their rotation after he fashioned a 4.22 ERA (93 ERA+) with a 1.34 WHIP over 158 innings last season while dramatically improving the control issues that plagued him in recent years. The 32-year-old is under contract for just one more season, and his presence could force one of James Paxton, Taijuan Walker or Roenis Elias into a relief role in 2015.