Quebecer Abraham Toro was browsing the web Friday night when he learned he had been traded to the Milwaukee Brewers.
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“I knew it at the same time as everyone else,” he admitted on Saturday during a chance encounter at his training ground in Montreal.
Quickly, his agent Matt Colleran informed him that the news was not yet official, but a few minutes later, the transaction was finalized.
“I’m happy, reacted Toro, who goes from the Seattle Mariners to the Brewers. It wasn’t too surprising, honestly. I kinda knew what the possibilities were for me.”
Indeed, the athlete from Greenfield Park guessed that a trade was in the air after being limited to 109 games last season with the Mariners. Benched all five of his team’s playoff games, Toro was previously assigned to the minor leagues in August, playing 16 games with the Tacoma Rainiers at the AAA level.
A third team
Toro, 25, is already in his third major league organization. Having made his debut with the Houston Astros, he moved to the Mariners in July 2021.
“It’s a new start and a new league,” Toro said. It’s going to be up to me to get used to it and get to know the pitchers because I’ve always been in the American.”
As much in Houston as in Seattle, Toro found himself in the West section of the American. He won’t be bored with Japanese pitcher Shohei Ohtani, of the Los Angeles Angels, although the Quebecer has already managed to extract a hit – in seven appearances – against him. In Milwaukee, Toro could face more pitchers from other NL Central teams, including the St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates.
An average to improve
If he hopes for better days with the Brewers, Toro knows only too well that he must improve his batting consistency himself. Despite his 13 doubles and 10 homers during the recent season with the Mariners, the Quebecer could not do better than a batting average of .185. Having had a few timely hits, he nevertheless had 35 RBIs.
“Sometimes just a change of air can help,” Toro said. I haven’t been told about my role with the Brewers yet, but I know what I have to do.”
The Quebecer is heading to Milwaukee at the same time as Jesse Winker, the two having been traded by the Mariners in return for Kolten Wong.
“I already got on well with Winker,” Toro said. Like me, the season was a little more difficult for him in the last year, but I think we can each bounce back.
- After several weeks spent in Quebec, Toro will continue his training under the hot Florida sun, starting in mid-December. The Brewers camp will then take off in February, in Arizona, with the activities of the Cactus League in particular.