Blue Jays acquire outfielder Melvin Upton Jr.

By: Andrew Hendriks

Canadian Baseball Network

TORONTO -- Only hours after Roberto Osuna closed the door on Toronto’s 4-2 victory over San Diego on Monday, the Padres and Blue Jays came to terms on a deal sending Melvin Upton Jr. to Toronto in exchange pitching prospect Hansel Rodriguez.

Upton Jr., 31, joins the Blue Jays with 12 years of major league experience under his belt having suited up for Tampa Bay, Atlanta and San Diego, respectively. 

A career .245 hitter, the former first round draft pick (2002) is currently slashing .246/.304/.439 over 92 games with the 43-57 Padres, and had been sitting in the last two contests leading up to Tuesday’s trade.

In addition to making the Blue Jays a stronger defensive team down the stretch, the move also preemptively addresses what could have been one of Toronto’s largest off-season needs this winter.

Under contract through 2017, Upton’s arrival provides an insurance policy should the team decide to let Michael Saunders walk as a free agent come seasons end. If that’s the case, Toronto will tender the Canadian outfielder a qualifying offer, thus netting the team a favorable draft pick should he decide to sign elsewhere.

Of course, the same scenario could also play out with Jose Bautista, although his value beyond 2016 will presumably lie in a first base/designated hitter role similar to that of Edwin Encarnacion.

As for the prospect heading to San Diego, Upton’s contract comes with a dollar value of $16.5M for 2017, and, given the dip in his production since signing with the Padres in 2015, the move could be looked at from a salary relief point standpoint. However, it appears San Diego is picking up the majority of the tab.

Hansel Rodriguez is the Blue Jays prospect headed to San Diego in the deal. Rodriguez, 19, is a 6’2” right-handed pitcher who was signed by the Blue Jays as a 17 year-old in 2014. Over three seasons split between the Gulf Coast and Bluefield, the Dominican hurler has pitched to an earned run average of 4.61 with 76 strikeouts and 33 walks over 93 1/3 innings pitched

For the time being, John Gibbons has a number of options with regards to how he pencils in the teams defense for the remainder of the 2016 campaign.  Expect to see Bautista and Encarnaciaon split time at first base/DH while Justin Smoak is utilized as a late-inning defensive replacement.

THE NUMBERS GAME

At Rogers Centre, Upton has hit a career .277 (57-for-206) with 20 extra-base knocks and an on-base percentage of .355 over 55 career games.

Against American League East opponents, the former Devil Ray checks in with a career .251 (419-for-1655) batting average.

In 26 career postseason contests, Upton has slashed .260/.316/.538 with thirteen extra base hits, seven of which left the yard.

Toronto Blue JaysAndrew HendriksComment