By Andrew Hendriks

Canadian Baseball Network

TORONTO -- Mere hours ahead of the sun rising on another season of Major League Baseball in Toronto, the Blue Jays have dealt DH/1B Kendrys Morales and cash to the Oakland Athletics in exchange for minor-league infielder Jesus Lopez and additional space in international signing pool.

Lopez, 22, has appeared in parts of five minor league seasons since signing with the A's as a non-drafted free agent in 2013. In 333 games, the 5-foot-11 product of, Nicaragua has slashed .221/.278/.311 while eclipsing the 100 games played plateau only once (2016).

Entering the final season of a three-year pact inked ahead of the 2017 campaign, Morales produced an OPS of .760 with 49 home runs over an even 280 games played as a member of the Blue Jays.

Morales' departure from the 25-man roster likely spells a roster nod for Rowdy Tellez, who, in addition to batting a respectable .314 with nine doubles across 23 appearances at the big league level in 2018, hammered out an OPS of .908 while sharing the team lead in home runs (5) this spring.

Morales is owed $12M for his services in 2019 and the Blue Jays are expected to pick up a lion’s share of the dollars remaining on Morales' deal.

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