Padres Trade Melvin Upton Jr. To The Jays For Minor League Pitcher

Toronto Blue Jays acquired outfielder Melvin Upton Jr. from the San Diego Padres for minor league pitcher Hansel Rodriguez.

The Padres are in Toronto for a three game series so the timing of the trade is convenient.

The initial plan was to trade Upton to the Baltimore Orioles for pitcher Ubaldo Jimminez and two prospects, but it fell apart due to financial reasons so Upton is moving down the AL East chain to currently the No. 3 spot, Jays. Next year will be the final year of a five-year deal Upton signed with the Atlanta Braves and the Padres subsequently took over. According to ESPN the Padres are eating $17 million of the $22 million remaining on Upton’s contract for this trade.

Jon Heyman from Today’s Knuckleball was the first to tweet the financial situation of the contract.

Upton is batting .256 with 16 home runs and 45 RBIs and 20 stolen bases in 93 games with the Padres this season. He has bounced around all three outfield positions and has spent the most time in left field this season.

Rodriguez is a right handed pitcher, has a 3.06 ERA with 26 walks and 11 strikeouts in 32 1/3 innings this season. MLB.com rated Rodriguez No. 18 for Toronto’s best prospect before the season.

This trade is reminiscent of the Yankees, Cubs trade in that Gleyber Torres could be considered for either short stop, or second or third base, Upton can play left, center or right field. Upton will join Michael Saunders, Kevin Pillar and Jose Bautista. Bautista missed a month with toe injury and the Jays pulled up Ezequiel Carrera who has spent the last three years floating between the Jays minor league and major league teams. Bautista did return to action this week, but it will be good to have a veteran player than can jump in and play a major role.

Upton tweeted about his excitement to join Toronto. 

Upton is 31-years-old and it seems the Padres are trying to get more youth on their roster. In the offseason the Padres traded Joaquin Benoit and Craig Kimbrel and this season they have traded James Shields, Drew Pomeranz, Fernando Rodney and Upton.

Blue Jays pitcher Aaron Sanchez has already picked 132 1/3 innings which is only one inning less than his career high he set in 2014. The Jays will be looking for a replacement starter, it almost begs the question why give up Rodriguez, but no doubt they will be able to trade for an equally or more talented pitcher.

Article by Lindsey Horsting