ST. LOUIS — The St. Louis Cardinals continued their active trade deadline Tuesday, dealing shortstop Paul DeJong to the Toronto Blue Jays the team announced Tuesday.
The Athletic's Katie Woo was the first to report the trade was finalized. MLB Network's Jon Morosi said the Cardinals will receive 24-year-old minor league pitcher Matt Svanson in return.
The team later confirmed the deal in a press release.
DeJong debuted for the Cardinals in 2017. He finished second in NL Rookie of the Year voting after finishing the season with 25 home runs in 108 games. He posted a career-best 30 home runs and 78 RBIs in 2019 but declined in the next three seasons.
DeJong was hitting .233 with 13 home runs and a .710 OPS before play Tuesday.
DeJong could be a free agent at the end of the season if the Blue Jays pay his $2 million buyout. If not, he will be paid $12.5 million next season.
Bo Bichette, an All-Star infielder for the Blue Jays, suffered a knee injury Monday, which may have led the team to pursue DeJong.
Svanson has allowed just four runs in 26 relief appearances for the Blue Jays Single-A and High-A teams this season. He was a 13th-round draft pick by Toronto in 2021.
This is the second trade in a matter of days between the Cardinals and Blue Jays.
Right-handed reliever Hicks, 26, was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays Sunday in exchange for minor league pitchers Sem Robberse and Adam Kloffenstein, who both will be assigned to Triple-A Memphis.
Robberse, 21, pitched in the MLB Futures Game earlier this month. The Netherlands native was signed by the Blue Jays in July 2019. In 18 starts, went 3-5 with a 4.06 ERA and 86 strikeouts.
Kloffenstein, 22, was the Blue Jays third-round draft pick in 2018. He made 17 starts this season for the Fisher Cats at New Hampshire, going 5-5 with a 3.24 ERA. He struck out 105 batters this season.
Hicks, 26, was drafted by St. Louis in 2015 and was 1-6 with a 3.67 ERA and 8 saves this season in 40 games. He will become a free agent following the 2023 season.
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