By MATT PIKE
With injuries piling up on the pitching staff and a need for more bullpen depth, the Kansas City Royals have traded with the Toronto Blue Jays for relief pitcher Connor Seabold
In exchange, the Blue Jays received pitcher Denis Samudio and cash considerations. Seabold was designated for assignment by Toronto on June 10th. To make room on the 40-man roster, the Royals transferred Carlos Estévez to the 60-day IL. Seabold has gone 1-0 with a 4.26 ERA in 16 relief appearances this season between Detroit and Toronto.
Seabold signed with Toronto as a minor league free agent in January, but was released on March 21st. Two days later, he signed with Detroit and made the Tigers Opening Day roster. Seabold missed a month on the Injured List with left ankle inflammation but returned to pitch in three more games with the Tigers before being designated for assignment on May 24th, before being reacquired by Toronto three days later and made five appearances with the Blue Jays, four of which were scoreless.
Seabold has pitched in parts of five seasons in the Major Leagues with Boston, Colorado, Tampa Bay, and Atlanta before spending this season splitting time in Detroit and Toronto. He spent 2024 in Korea, where he went 11-6 with a 3.43 ERA in 28 starts for the Samsung Lions. He was selected by Philadelphia in the 3rd round of the 2017 First-Year Player Draft out of California State University, Fullerton.
The 21 year old Samudio split time this season for the Royals between the Arizona Complex League and Single A Columbia, going 1-1 with a 4.12 ERA in six appearances, three of those starts. He was signed as part of the Royals 2025 international free agent class out of Panama.
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