Blue Jays deal Macko to Rangers

The Toronto Blue Jays have traded left-hander Adam Macko (Stony Plain, Alta.) to the Texas Rangers. Photo: Toronto Blue Jays

August 3, 2026

Official Toronto Blue Jays News Release

The Toronto Blue Jays have acquired INF Josh Smith and RHP Josh Stephan from the Texas Rangers in exchange for LHP Adam Macko.

Smith, 28, has split the 2026 season between the MLB level and the Rangers’ triple-A affiliate in Round Rock, slashing .215/.307/.298 with eight doubles, one triple, three home runs, 19 RBIs, nine stolen bases, a 78% contact rate, and a .605 OPS over 68 games. The left-handed hitter from Baton Rouge, La., was selected by the New York Yankees in the second round of the 2019 First-Year Player Draft out of LSU, making his MLB debut for the Rangers in the 2022 season. Over five MLB seasons, Smith has slashed .234/.325/.346 with 69 doubles, five triples, 32 home runs, 136 RBIs, 31 stolen bases, and a .671 OPS in 501 career contests, while logging innings at every defensive position besides catcher.

Stephan, 24, made 21 appearances (19 starts) for triple-A Round Rock, putting up a 5.44 ERA, a 7.0% walk rate, and a 21.9% strikeout rate. The right-hander from DeSoto, Texas, was signed by the Rangers as a non-drafted free agent in 2020 out of South Grand Prairie High School (Texas). Over six seasons in the Rangers system, Stephan has made 102 appearances (92 starts), recording a 4.25 ERA with a 1.25 WHIP and 486 strikeouts across 481 career innings.

Macko, 25, made his MLB debut for the Blue Jays earlier this season, appearing in 22 contests at the MLB level, putting up a 4.91 ERA. The left-hander who grew up in Stony Plain, Alta. was selected by the Seattle Mariners in the seventh round of the 2019 First-Year Player Draft out of Vauxhall Academy of Baseball in Alberta, before being dealt to the Blue Jays prior to the 2023 campaign.

Across seven minor league seasons with the Mariners and Blue Jays, Macko has appeared in 108 games (73 start), putting up a 4.50 ERA with 479 strikeouts in 380 innings. Macko represented Team Canada at the 2026 World Baseball Classic, appearing in three games.