TORONTO — Toronto Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos has pulled off perhaps his biggest stunner yet, acquiring Troy Tulowitzki from the Colorado Rockies in exchange for fellow shortstop Jose Reyes and minor-leaguers.
The Blue Jays on Tuesday morning confirmed the trade that sends three prospects with Reyes to Denver, while also bringing reliever LaTroy Hawkins to Toronto.
While pitching has been the focal point of the Blue Jays’ pre-trade deadline pursuits, Tulowitzki gives them a defensive upgrade at shortstop over Reyes, plus another impact bat for an already loaded lineup. The cost in prospect capital hurts — 2014 first-rounder Jeff Hoffman, Miguel Castro and Jesus Tinoco — but arguably the best all-around shortstop in baseball wasn’t going to come cheap.
The money this season is essentially a saw-off — Reyes is making $22 million, Tulowitzki is earning $20 million but gets a $2-million payout for being traded, while Hawkins has roughly $900,000 remaining on his $2.25-million salary — leaving Anthopoulos with most of the $5-$6 million he’s believed to have to work with intact.
There may very well be more to come for the Blue Jays, and that doesn’t necessarily mean acquiring a starter before Friday’s non-waiver trade deadline passes. As this deal shows, the Blue Jays are open to finding gains wherever possible, and they still have plenty of prospect capital remaining.
Longer term, Tulowitzki is a much bigger ticket than Reyes, as he’s due $20 million in each of the 2016-19 seasons, another $14 million in 2020, with a $15-million option or $4-million buyout in 2021. Reyes is owed $22 million in each of the 2016 and ’17 seasons, with a $22-million option or $4-million buyout for ’18.
Still, with Tulowitzki in place long term along with Russell Martin, signed through 2019, and Josh Donaldson, under club control through 2018, the Blue Jays now have a trio of cornerstone players to insulate them if either Jose Bautista or Edwin Encarnacion isn’t extended beyond the 2016 season.
This is a move for both now, and the future.
Intriguingly, the Blue Jays passed on Tulowitzki in the 2005 draft, selecting left-hander Ricky Romero at No. 6 rather than the California State University Long Beach standout because they’d taken shortstops the previous two years in Russ Adams and Aaron Hill.
The Rockies took him at seven and he’s blossomed into a five-time all-star and two-time Gold Glove winner. The 30-year-old’s steely resolve and clubhouse leadership are two other elements the Blue Jays valued.
Hawkins, meanwhile, gives a trending younger Blue Jays bullpen a 42-year-old grizzled vet who remains effective, posting a 1.10 ERA in 16.1 innings over 17 games since returning from the disabled list with a biceps injury.
He’ll fit in nicely with Aaron Sanchez and Roberto Osuna in locking down close games late, perhaps allowing Bo Schultz to gain more experience in lower-leverage roles.
In parting with Reyes, the Blue Jays are now left with just one player from the blockbuster with the Miami Marlins in the fall of 2012 — lefty Mark Buehrle, who’ll be a free agent at season’s end.
Reyes had a star-crossed stay in Toronto, ripping up his ankle early in the 2013 season, opening last year on the DL and missing time with a cracked rib this year, losing some of his range in the field but remaining a dynamic offensive catalyst.
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A handful of inopportune errors shone a spotlight on his defence in recent weeks and there were concerns his play could deteriorate further as he aged.
Hoffman, the ninth overall pick last year who slipped in the draft because he had Tommy John surgery, was considered perhaps the Blue Jays’ top prospect with front of the rotation potential. The 22-year-old was promoted to double-A New Hampshire after the all-star break and has allowed only two runs over 11.2 innings in two starts.
Castro, 20, broke camp with the Blue Jays this year and recorded four saves before his ERA ballooned to 4.38 leading him to be optioned down to triple-A Buffalo. A thumb injury stalled his progress but he continues to learn how to harness his 100 mph velocity and complement it with a breaking ball.