Who did the Tigers trade to the Toronto Blue Jays?

The Tigers traded pitcher Chase Lee to the Toronto Blue Jays.

Who is Johan Simon and what did the Tigers get in return?

Johan Simon is a left-handed pitching prospect acquired by the Tigers, who had a breakout 2025 season.

Why did the Tigers need more left-handed relievers?

The Tigers struggled to find consistent answers from their left-handed relief pitchers throughout the 2025 season.

Home / Sports / Tigers Trade Pitcher Lee to Blue Jays for Prospect Simon

Tigers Trade Pitcher Lee to Blue Jays for Prospect Simon

13 Dec

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Summary

Tigers acquired left-handed pitcher Johan Simon from Toronto.
Simon had a breakout 2025 season, advancing through three minor league levels.
The trade aims to add left-handed relief depth to the Tigers' system.

Tigers Trade Pitcher Lee to Blue Jays for Prospect Simon

The Detroit Tigers recently acquired left-handed pitcher Johan Simon from the Toronto Blue Jays, sending side-arm specialist Chase Lee to Toronto in the deal. This transaction occurred on Friday afternoon, just days after the Tigers had been actively acquiring minor league pitchers. The move also served to clear a 40-man roster spot, now occupied by reliever Kyle Finnegan, and bolster the team's upper farm system with another southpaw relief prospect.

Simon, a 24-year-old Dominican Republic native, experienced a breakout season in 2025. After advancing through Single-A, High-A, and Double-A, he recorded a 3.42 ERA over 71 innings with a 3.20 FIP and a 25.1 percent strikeout rate. Despite high walk rates, his mid-90s fastball, sinker, slider, and improving changeup helped him generate a significant number of ground balls. He wasn't selected in the Rule 5 draft due to these walk rates.