Royals trade Jeremy Jeffress to Blue Jays, according to agent

Royals' right-handed pitcher Jeremy Jeffress was traded Thursday to the Toronto Blue Jays for cash considerations, according to Jeffress' agent Joshua Kusnick. Jeffress, 25, came to the Kansas City organization in December 2010 from the Milwaukee Brewers with Alcides Escobar, Lorenzo Cain and Jake Odorizzi in the Zach Greinke deal.

The Brewers selected Jeffress out of South Halifax, Va. with the 16th overall pick in the 2006 amateur draft. Jeffress appeared in 13 games at the major-league level in 2012 for the Royals, allowing 10 earned runs and 13 walks in 13.1 innings pitched. He had a 4.97 ERA in 58 innings pitched for the Royals' Triple-A affiliate in Omaha, Neb. and owns a 4.31 ERA and 1.42 WHIP in 421.2 minor league innings pitched over seven seasons.

Jeffress, who has been suspended twice for drug offenses, passed through waivers after the Royals designated him for assignment last Friday. The Blue Jays designated left-handed pitcher Scott Maine for assignment to make room on their 40-man roster for Jeffress.