The Toronto Blue Jays have traded outfielder Kevin Pillar to the San Francisco Giants.
In return, Toronto is getting back infielder Alen Hanson and right-handed pitchers Juan De Paula and Derek Law.
Pillar, 30, had been on the radar of the Giants since the off-season.
“It entered my mind this off-season when I saw trade rumours,” Pillar told Sportsnet’s Arash Madani about the possibility of being traded. “Initially, it was a hard thing to swallow. I have given so much to the organization. In an ideal fantasy land, you want to stay with the same team your whole career. But the more you are around the game, you realize it’s unrealistic. The more and more I have heard about [getting traded], I now feel it’s something to be proud of — that other teams want your services, see your value, help another team get over the top.
“You have trust the organization knows what they’re doing and have a plan. Right now, I see every day as an opportunity to go out and play.
“Again, the more you’re around the game, you realize [moves] are more than just baseball, it’s a business. I don’t know the direction they’re going in.”
A defensive stalwart, Pillar has been named a Gold Glove finalist three times in his career. Offensively, however, his bat has never been able to reach the same level as his glove.
Last season, he hit .252/.282/.426 with 15 home runs and 59 RBIs. In 17 plate appearances to kick off the 2019 season, he’s 1-for-16 with three strikeouts.
De Paula is a 21-year-old pitching prospect from the Dominican Republic who recorded a 1.72 ERA in 52.1 innings pitched last season in low-A and single-A ball, combined.
Law has been bouncing between the triple-A level and major-league level for the past three seasons and in 109 big-league appearances the 28-year-old has a 3.83 ERA with 97 strikeouts and 31 walks.
Hanson, 26, hit .252/.274/.425 last season, in 310 plate appearances with the Giants.
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