Now less the one week from the August 1st non-waiver trade deadline, moves are starting to be made. First Aroldis Chapman was sent to the Cubs in a big deal and now Melvin Upton Jr. has been traded from the San Diego Padres to the Toronto Blue Jays. People believed the Orioles could be the front runners for Upton but last night it was reported that the Blue Jays had become the front runners. And then on Tuesday morning Rosenthal announced that the Blue Jays had acquired Upton from the Padres for a minor league player. And along with the trade, Jon Heyman is reporting that the Padres will be paying a lot of the $22 million remaining on Upton’s deal.
Coincidentally enough, the Padres are currently in Toronto playing a three-game series against the Blue Jays. So Upton won’t have to travel to meet his new team. With the addition of Upton, he will bring depth to the outfield for the Blue Jays. Currently, the Blue Jays outfield in Michael Saunders in left who is hitting .287 with 19 home runs and 46 RBIs, Kevin Pillar in center who is hitting .265 with seven home runs and 38 RBIs, and Jose Bautista in right who is hitting .231 with 12 home runs and 41 RBIs. Upton comes over hitting .256 with 16 home runs and 45 RBIs. The Blue Jays won’t be taking Bautista out of the lineup and with the way Saunders is playing this year he won’t be coming out either. So this could end up being a case of Upton and Pillar splitting time in center field.
Right now through 100 games the Blue Jays are sitting at 56-44. They are three games back in the division of the Baltimore Orioles. The Blue Jays also currently hold the number two wild card spot. Sitting a half-game behind the Red Sox for the first wild card spot and sitting a game and a half in front of the Astros for that second wild card spot. But the goal for the Blue Jays is to win the division and avoid the wild card game, and they hope adding Upton can help them accomplish that goal.
