Edwin Jackson Trade Sends Righty, Mark Teahen To Blue Jays For Jason Frasor, Zach Stewart

Wednesday morning's hot rumor came together with remarkable speed. There was talk that the Chicago White Sox and Toronto Blue Jays were discussing an Edwin Jackson trade, and now, courtesy of Buster Olney and countless others, we see that it's been completed:

Zach Stewart and Jason Frasor go from CWS for Edwin Jackson and Mark Teahen.

Like the Jonny Gomes trade on Tuesday, this is a strange fit for Jackson and the Blue Jays. The Blue Jays are 51-52 and Jackson is a free agent after the season, so it doesn't seem like there's any compelling reason for them to want him. But all the talk right now is that the Jays will turn around and deal Jackson to the Cardinals as part of a package for Colby Rasmus. Nothing's guaranteed, but that's a way to make this trade make more sense.

Trading Teahen along with Jackson allows the White Sox to shed some salary, which they've wanted to do, despite their charge to the playoffs. The underachieving Teahen is under contract for a few more million dollars in 2011 and $5.5 million in 2012. Jackson is also still due a few million over the remainder of the year.

In Frasor, the White Sox land a quality right-handed reliever with a 2012 club option. Over the last three years, Frasor's posted a 3.08 ERA with nearly a strikeout an inning, and he'll help to stabilize what's been an inconsistent bullpen.

Finally, Stewart is a 24-year-old righty starter who's been pitching at the double-A level, with a brief cup of coffee in the majors. He is a low-upside, back-of-the-rotation sort who isn't far away, especially if he shifts to the bullpen.

So! The White Sox shed salary while adding to their bullpen, while the Jays prepare to make a push for Colby Rasmus. Who said the trade deadline is always a disappointment?

MLB Trade Rumors: Could Edwin Jackson Be Headed To The Cardinals?

Earlier this morning, several tweets indicated that White Sox starter Edwin Jackson might be headed to the Toronto Blue Jays in a multi-player trade.

The proverbial plot-thickening is occurring. A tweet from SI.com’s Jon Heyman indicates that Toronto might not be Jackson’s final destination:

Word is, #bluejays may spin e-jax to #stlcards if get him from #chisox

This would actually make quite a bit of sense for both teams. The Blue Jays aren’t going anywhere this season and Jackson, who is a free agent at season’s end, wouldn’t make a real difference for them. He does make sense for the Cardinals, who have been looking for starting pitching help all year. And just who would go north of the border? ESPN’s Buster Olney has a tantalizing clue:

Source: Cardinals continue to talk about Rasmus deals with TOR, other teams. Rival executives say he is very much available.#trades

The Cardinals have been talking down Rasmus lately, but he’s still having a decent offensive season and won’t turn 25 until next month. These are deals that could help all three teams, the Cardinals, Blue Jays and White Sox — so, unlike so many rumors out there this week, these seem like they have a pretty good shot at actually happening.

MLB Trade Rumors: White Sox' Edwin Jackson May Be Headed To Toronto

The Chicago White Sox have an overabundance of starting pitching, to the point where they have at times this season used a six-man starting rotation.

With the trading deadline looming next Sunday, it would seem logical that the Sox might try to deal some of this surplus for help in other areas. Tuesday night, someone named Doug Seyller -- who doesn't appear to have any specific baseball connections -- tweeted that Edwin Jackson might be headed to the Blue Jays:

#WhiteSox Jackson and Teahen going to Toronto for frasor and a minor leaguer...de aza coming up from minors.

This possibility was also tweeted by Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal Wednesday morning, with some more intriguing information:

Sources: #WhiteSox in serious talks on EJax, Teahen to #BlueJays for Frasor and prospect. Danks, Floyd also on market. #tradedeadline #MLB

Jackson would seem the most likely White Sox starter to be traded. He's a free agent at the end of this season and the White Sox don't seem inclined to re-sign him. They have Philip Humber ready and available to step back into their rotation if they deal him. While Mark Teahen is a useful backup, the Sox have had bullpen issues and Jason Frasor would provide a solid setup complement to Jesse Crain.

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