Blue Jays pick up closer Jordan Hicks, with regular stopper Romano on injured list

Right-handed reliever Jordan Hicks was acquired by the Toronto Blue Jays in a trade with the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday.

Right-handed pitching prospects Adam Kloffenstein and Sem Robberse were sent to St. Louis in return.

The MLB trade deadline is Tuesday at 6 p.m. ET.

The deal was the Blue Jays’ second with the Cardinals in a little over a week as Toronto picked up lefty reliever Genesis Cabrera from St. Louis on July 21.

A five-year veteran who had spent his entire career with the Cardinals, Hicks is 1-6 with a 3.67 earned-run average and eight saves in 11 chances. The hard-throwing Hicks has struck out 59 batters in 41 2/3 innings while walking 24.

Toronto put closer Jordan Romano on the 15-day injured list Saturday because of a sore back. Romano left the July 11 all-star game in Seattle because of back pain and did not pitch for the Blue Jays again until July 20. He left with two outs in the ninth inning of Friday’s 4-1 win over the Angels and was replaced by Yimi Garcia.

The Blue Jays lost Sunday’s series finale when Garcia, who was pitching for the third straight day, gave up Hunter Renfroe’s two-run homer in the 10th. It was the first time this season Garcia had pitched on three consecutive days.

Toronto could get more relief help when right-hander Chad Green returns from Tommy John surgery. Green, who had elbow surgery last May, signed a two-year, $8.5 million US contract with Toronto in January and probably will be ready by mid-August.

The former New York Yankee made his third rehab appearance with class-A Dunedin on Saturday and is expected to move to triple-A Buffalo next.

Kloffenstein was 5-5 with a 3.24 ERA in 17 starts at double-A New Hampshire. Robberse, who is from the Netherlands, was 3-5 with a 4.06 ERA in 18 starts for the Fisher Cats.

Righty reliever Mitch White (0-1) was designated for assignment to make space on the Blue Jays’ 40-man roster. He has a 7.11 earned-run average with 13 strikeouts over 12 2/3 innings this season.

Veteran hitter next on trade list?

The players and coaches in the clubhouse are getting used to being buyers ahead of the trade deadline.

Toronto holds the third and final wild-card spot in the American League and, with a four-game series starting on Monday against the division-leading Baltimore Orioles, an AL East title is also a possibility.

Manager John Schneider said his players are good about handling the sometimes-chaotic period ahead of the trade deadline.

“We’re comfortable with the team we have, and I think they all just want to play more consistently,” said Schneider. “They obviously understand the outside noise and things like that, but any addition is welcome.”

Schneider said it’s virtually impossible for major leaguers to avoid all the trade news, however.

“Just because it’s on so much,” said Schneider, gesturing to one of the two TVs in his office tuned to MLB Network. “You see [the Chicago White Sox] moving guys and a couple more, you know, here and there.

“You follow along a little bit and see who’s doing what.”

The Blue Jays will certainly get some help in their starting rotation with the expected return of Hyun-Jin Ryu from Tommy John surgery on Tuesday.

That has made the job of Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins more straightforward.

We’re open to any way we can make our team better, but I think there might be a slight lean to a right-handed bat.— Blue Jays GM Ross Atkins ahead of Tuesday’s 6 p.m. ET trade deadline

“Every team in contention is trying to add a reliever and then every team in contention is trying to add some level of starting pitching depth,” said Atkins on July 19.

“There’s different ways to do that. I think we’re in a relatively strong position, but we need to work to improve as well.”

Beyond pitching, Atkins said there was room to improve Toronto’s offence without touching its impressive infield.

“Right now, as we’re constructed, we are better suited for a right-handed bat,” said Atkins. “We are open to any way that we can make our team better, but I think there might be a slight lean to a right-handed bat.

“We have the benefit of not necessarily thinking that he has to play a certain position because of the versatility that we have with [utility players] Cavan Biggio, Daulton Varsho, and Whit Merrifield.”

Cardinals move lefty Montgomery to Rangers

The AL West-leading Texas Rangers continued to load up on pitching by acquiring left-hander Jordan Montgomery and reliever Chris Stratton from the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday.

The deal came a few hours after the Rangers announced the acquisition of three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer from the New York Mets. Also Sunday, the Rangers placed ace Nathan Eovaldi on the 15-day injured list with a right forearm strain, retroactive to July 27.

The Rangers sent left-hander John King, minor league infielder Tommy Saggese and double-A right-hander T.K. Roby to the Cardinals. To make room on the 40-man roster, the Rangers designated right-hander Joe Barlow for assignment.

Montgomery is 6-9 with a 3.42 ERA in 21 starts for last-place St. Louis, with 108 strikeouts against 35 walks. He can become a free agent after this season.

Stratton is 1-1 with a 4.36 ERA and one save in 42 relief appearances, with 59 strikeouts and 17 walks.