Blue Jays Trade Leo Jimenez to Marlins After Opening Day DFA

The Toronto Blue Jays found a taker for infielder Leo Jiménez after he was designated for assignment before opening day.

Toronto Blue Jays infielder Leo Jimenez. | Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images

The Toronto Blue Jays won’t get a chance to slide Leo Jiménez back to Triple-A Buffalo after all.

The Blue Jays worked out a trade with the Miami Marlins to send Jiménez to South Beach, per SportsNet. Per Spanish language reporter Francys Romero, the Blue Jays are getting minor-league infielder Dub Gleed and $250,000 in international bonus money.

The Marlins had a need for extra infield help after losing Christopher Morel to the injured list with an oblique injury that is expected to keep him out for four-to-six weeks. Jiménez was a candidate for the opening day roster so he could be a fit for Miami right away as opposed to being optioned to Triple-A Jacksonville.

Leo Jiménez Off to Miami

Toronto Blue Jays infielder Leo Jimenez. | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

The Blue Jays designated him for assignment before opening day to create roster spot on the 40-man. With that, Toronto had five days to find a taker for him via trade or put him on waivers. Had he cleared waivers, the Blue Jays could have optioned him to Buffalo. In this case, the additional international bonus money is the big draw. Toronto must spend that by Dec. 15.

Jiménez, a native of Panama, played just 18 games for the Blue Jays last season as he slashed .069/.129/.172 with one home run and one RBI. He was up and down with the Blue Jays all season and spent two stretches on the injured list at Buffalo.

He broke in with Toronto in 2024 as he played in 63 games and slashed .229/.329/.358 with four home runs and 19 RBI. That was after he spent several years in the Blue Jays’ system, beginning when he signed with the organization as an international free agent in 2018. He built himself into a coveted prospect after he was named an All-Star with Double-A New Hampshire in 2023.

In 400 minor league games he has a slash of .273/.393/.389 with 22 home runs and 179 RBI.

The Blue Jays are coming off a sweep of the Athletics on Sunday, the first two wins of which came in walk off fashion, the first time in franchise history that featured two walk-off wins in a row to start a season. The Blue Jays are preparing to host the Colorado Rockies on Monday. The Rockies lost all three games this weekend to, of all teams, the Marlins.