Blue Jays add depth with Melvin Upton trade; Andrew Cashner next?
The San Diego Padres are visiting Toronto for the first time in franchise history, so what a perfect opportunity for the Blue Jays to strike a trade with their unfamiliar interleague opponents.
Outfielder Melvin Upton Jr. was sent to the Blue Jays on Tuesday morning in exchange for minor-league pitcher Hansel Rodriguez. Upton won’t be a starter in Toronto, but the team will be leaning on him to play fairly often as they hope to give left fielder Michael Saunders, center fielder Kevin Pillar and right fielder Jose Bautista a few days off to keep them fresh during the stretch run. The 31-year-old will also be used as a defensive replacement and pinch-runner, presenting manager John Gibbons with some more roster flexibility late in games. The move makes the Blue Jays deeper, and they’ll take all the extra help they can get as they battle Baltimore and Boston for the American League East crown.
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The series between San Diego and Toronto continues Tuesday night – Upton is expected to be available for the Blue Jays off the bench – and you can watch it right here as it’s Yahoo Sports’ MLB Free Game of the Day. You can stream the game at Yahoo’s Sports Home, MLB index, video home, the Yahoo Sports app and this very post. First pitch is at 7:07 p.m. ET. Local blackouts apply per MLB rules.
It’ll be well worth watching, too, as the Blue Jays reportedly have their eyes on one of Upton’s former teammates. Padres starter Andrew Cashner has been linked to Toronto too and is set to take the mound in the ballpark he could be calling home soon.
The 29-year-old right-hander could fit as a rotation replacement for Aaron Sanchez, who has been terrific as a starter but may end up in the bullpen before the end of the season because of an innings limit. Cashner might also be a relief option, a role he’s filled at times during his seven-year major-league career. His 4.79 ERA this season doesn’t exactly inspire confidence, but he’s just two years removed from posting a 2.55 ERA and in a relatively thin trade market for pitchers will certainly have interest from teams like the Blue Jays. There will be a number of scouts from other major-league teams in attendance to watch this start, which could be Cashner’s last with San Diego.
Acquiring Upton is a nice start for Toronto in their attempt to defend their division title. Adding a pitcher like Cashner would provide another boost. Expect them to orchestrate at least one more trade in the week before the Aug. 1 non-waiver deadline passes.
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Israel Fehr is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter. Follow @israelfehr
