Nationals trade Drew Storen to Blue Jays for Ben Revere

Late Friday night, the Blue Jays acquired RHP Drew Storen from the Nationals for OF Ben Revere and a player to be named later.

The Nationals continue to search for a replacement in center field now that Denard Span has officially departed and signed with the Nationals.

Storen failed to close out St. Louis in the ninth inning of the deciding Game 5 in the 2012 NL Division Series, and also let a ninth-inning lead slip away in Game 2 of the 2014 NLDS against San Francisco.

Despite his previous success as a setup man, Storen fell apart.

Storen's relationship with the Nationals has been rocky over the past several seasons.

Splitting time between the Philadelphia Phillies and Blue Jays previous year, Revere hit a solid. It seems a good bet that Sanchez, who began last season in the rotation, will be stretched out again in spring training while the bullpen picture comes into clearer focus. When the team went out and got Jonathan Papelbon from the Philadelphia Phillies near the trade deadline a year ago, he was bumped down to an eighth inning role. The relationship between Storen - a closer who once saved 43 games in 2011 - and the Nats became an obvious issue, leading many to believe his time in our nation's capital was up. 334 on-base percentage through 96 games last season.

Storen could be a big victor here in terms of fantasy value - if the Jays are open to tweaking their bullpen.

In his two-month stint in Toronto, Revere hit. He played marginally better than average defense with an uptick in batting for average (.319) and OBP (.354) in Toronto's remaining 56 games.

The Nationals have a lot invested in Papelbon and it'd be hard to get much in return for him in a trade.

Revere is quick but does not have a strong outfield arm nor outstanding power. Should Taylor assert his way into the starting center field role, Revere will likely spell him in center field and split left field duties with the veteran Jayson Werth, as 2015 National League MVP Bryce Harper has a lock on right field, barring injury or suspension.

Storen is projected by MLB Trade Rumors to make $8.8 million in his final season of arbitration while Revere is projected at $6.7 million.

Revere batted a combined. He'll earn a raise in arbitration this year, but is also under team control for another year before free agency.