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Pirates Trade Igarashi to Blue Jays

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BRADENTON, Fla. — The Pittsburgh Pirates traded right-hander Ryota Igarashi to the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for a player to be named later or cash considerations.

The trade was made the day after Igarashi was reassinged to minor league camp.

Igarashi, 32, allowed nine runs on 15 hits over 9.1 innings in relief this spring. He walked three and struck out 10 during Grapefruit League action. Igarashi spent the 2011 season with the New York Mets organization before pitching 11 seasons with the Tokyo Yakult Swallows of the Japanese Central League.

The Pirates General Manager Neal Huntington said yesterday that they would like to retain him but understood that if there was a better spot for him, then they’d let him go somewhere else.

“[I] was shocked about the news,” Igarashi said on Thursday through Erwin Valencia, the Pirates Physical Therapist and Rehab Coordinator. “But at the same time, [I] did everything [I] could have done up to this point everyday, but the result wasn’t there…[I] was told to be more consistent and they want to see [my] split used more. Also they want [me] to get back to where he was when he was at his best.”

Igarashi signed as a minor league free agent with the Pirates on December 19, 2011.

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