Tyler Heineman, once a Blue Jay, is struggling badly with the Angels as Toronto opens a big series.

The Blue Jays open a series with the Rangers in Arlington Friday night, coming off Thursday's off-day following a series against Detroit where they dropped two of three.

The finale went Toronto's way, a 5-1 win to close out that set.

Meanwhile, Heineman's stretch with Los Angeles has gone the opposite direction since leaving Toronto.

The Blue Jays traded him to the Angels for cash considerations back on June 17.

"OFFICIAL: We've traded C Tyler Heineman to the Angels in exchange for cash considerations," the Blue Jays announced at the time.

Since then, Heineman is hitting .185 with 17 hits, no home runs, three RBIs, and eight runs across 41 games for Los Angeles.

Why his recent stretch has been especially rough

He's gone hitless in seven of his last eight games, a cold streak that's dragged his numbers even further down.

Heineman was drafted in the eighth round back in 2012, beginning his career with brief stints for the Marlins and Giants.

That journeyman path eventually led him to Toronto, where he was part of the organization through last year's World Series run, appearing at World Series Workout Day at Rogers Centre.

A cash trade like the one that sent him to Los Angeles rarely generates headlines, but watching a former teammate struggle this badly afterward adds a layer of perspective for Blue Jays fans following his career from a distance.

For Toronto, the focus now shifts entirely to this Rangers series, a genuinely critical set in the middle of a tight wild-card chase.

Heineman's stretch in Anaheim is simply a footnote by comparison, a reminder of how differently things can go once a player leaves an organization mid-season.