The Toronto Blue Jays have claimed left-handed first baseman Justin Smoak off waivers from the Seattle Mariners this afternoon, according to a team announcement. This move is to no surprise to the baseball world, as the Mariners have been trying to rid away of Smoak ever since they outrighted him to Triple-A Tacoma earlier, clearing a 40-man roster spot.

The Blue Jays have had a strong track record with acquiring failed hitters and turning them back into their real potential. In 2008, the Blue Jays acquired outfielder Jose Bautista from the Pittsburgh Pirates for catcher Robinson Diaz. A year later in 2009, Toronto went out and acquired infielder Edwin Encarnacion from the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for star third baseman Scott Rolen, however the Blue Jays had to re-sign him later in the offseason as he was claimed off waivers by the Oakland Athletics and non-tendered.

A big reason why the Mariners let Smoak go was because they had a $3.6 million option on him for the 2015 season that was unlikely to be exercised, so they would have had to pay a $200,000 buyout to void the final year of the contract.

Justin Smoak, who turns 28-years-old in December, slashed .202/.275/.339 in eighty games with the Mariners, as he hit seven home runs and had thirty runs batted in. His 77 wRC+, .137 ISO (measures isolated power) and .277 wOBA this year was the lowest he had accumulated in his major-league career. Acquired back in 2010 from the Texas Rangers in a deal that sent him and fellow prospects Blake BeavanJosh Lueke and Matt Lawson to the Mariners in exchange for left-handed ace Cliff Lee and Mark Lowe, he made his major-league debut in 2011, playing in 123 games.

In those 123 games in 2011, he hit .234/.323/.396 with fifteen home runs and 38 runs batted in, along with a 103 wRC+, .162 ISO and a .317 wOBA. Although he struck out in 21.5% of his plate appearances in his rookie season, he got that number down to 20.7% in his sophomore season in 2012. However, this statistic got even worse the next two seasons, posting a strikeout percentage of 22.8% in 2013 and 23.9% in 2014.

The acquisition of Smoak dims the chances of first basemen Adam Lind staying with the Blue Jays throughout the off season. Lind has been one of the hottest names discussed on the trade market over recent days, as the team could possibly part ways with the first basemen. Due to the fact that Toronto has until five days after the World Series to pick up Lind's 2015 club option that is worth $7.5 million, the team could very well move the 31-year-old before the deadline. He could go in the next couple days due to the amount of value the Blue Jays can get in return for him.

According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, the first "big name" player to be moved this offseason will be Adam Lind. Sherman writes that two teams that could make a run at Lind are the Oakland Athletics and the Mariners. Over the 2014 season, Lind played in only 96 games, missing time due to injury. In those 96 games, he hit .321/.381/.479 with six home runs and 38 runs batted in.

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About the author
Max Wildstein
I cover the latest in Major League Baseball news and rumors for VAVEL USA. I also am a member of the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America (IBWAA). Follow me on Twitter at @MaxWildstein for updates on the happenings in the baseball world.