The Philadelphia Phillies have acquired seven-year veteran Toronto Blue Jays southpaw reliever Aaron Loup in exchange for prospect RHP Jacob Waguespack, according to MLB.com's Mark Feinsand. In a corresponding move, infielder Trevor Plouffe was designated for assignment to make room for Loup on the 40-man roster.
Loup, 30, is 12-20 with a 3.47 ERA, 297-98 strikeout-to-walk ratio and 1.271 WHIP spanning 318 2/3 innings 369 career appearances. The Raceland, Louisiana, native's acquisition fills the Phillies' need of a "high-strikeout" reliever to "mitigate their poor defense." Loup has punched out 42 of his 166 batters faced in 35 2/3 innings this season with the Blue Jays.
Aaron Loup is averaging 10.6 strikeouts per nine innings. That's likely among the attractions for #Phillies. Lefthanded hitters are batting .271 against Loup this season, but he has held them to a .357 slugging percentage.
— Scott Lauber (@ScottLauber) July 31, 2018
The Phillies were rumored to reunite Tuesday with Texas Rangers left-hander Jake Diekman, who they dealt three seasons ago in the Cole Hamels trade. It appears the club opted to pursue and acquire Loup, while Diekman was instead dealt to the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Waguespack, 24, went 3-5 with a 5.06 ERA, 48-20 strikeout-to-walk ratio and 1.388 WHIP in 14 games, eight starts and 53 1/3 innings this season at Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Plouffe, 32, played seven seasons with the Minnesota Twins from 2010-2016. He collected just three hits in 12 plate appearances with the Phillies in 2018, one of which was a walk-off, three-run, 16th-inning home run last Tuesday against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
