With just three days to go until the August 1st Major League Baseball trade deadline, teams are beginning to decide whether to be buyers or sellers in the race. A few teams have already made that decision, including the San Diego Padres, who started to ship out key players to contending teams this week. It started in Toronto, where outfielder Melvin Upton Jr. just had to switch dugouts, getting sent to the Blue Jays for minor league pitcher Hansel Rodriguez.
After playing in just 87 games last season, the 31-year-old is having a comeback year to remember, hitting .256 with 16 home runs and 45 RBIs. The 12-year player was also leading the Padres with 20 stolen bases, proving that both his power and speed are back in full force.
Upton is making $15.45 million this season, and $16.45 million next year, which the Padres will pay all but $5 million of. They did send cash Toronto's way in the deal.
San Diego arrived in Toronto on Sunday night for a three-game series with the Blue Jays, giving Toronto an inside edge for scouting. The Baltimore Orioles also expressed interest in trading for Upton. The Padres also sent reliever Joaquin Benoit to Toronto for struggling reliever Drew Storen, who was recently designated for assignment.
San Diego dealt another star on Friday morning, sending ace Andrew Cashner to the Miami Marlins, who are officially in the race for the long haul. Right-hander Colin Rea is also reportedly heading to Miami. Jarred Cosart is said to be going the other way to the Padres, along with first-round pick, Josh Naylor, and a pitching prospect.
Cashner joined San Diego in 2012 and was the longest-current Padre on the team. The 29-year-old is 4-7 this year with a 4.76 ERA in 79.1 innings. Rea has gone 5-5 with a 4.98 ERA in 99.1 innings. Both will join the Marlins in their quest for a playoff berth, as they sit tied for second in the NL Wild Card hunt.
It's an even year, so everyone is expecting the San Francisco Giants to stick around the whole way through. One of baseball's best team made an impressive move on Thursday night, acquiring infielder Eduardo Nunez from the Minnesota Twins for a minor league pitcher. The Twins' lone All-Star this year is batting .296 with 12 home runs and 47 RBIs, and was leading the American League with 27 steals.
The Giants' infield has been hampered with injuries all season long, including Joe Panik, who was just recently activated off the DL. Both Matt Duffy and Ehire Adrianza have missed significant playing time.
The 28-year-old Nunez is expected to start at third base for San Francisco, after playing just 28 games there this year. He was primarily a shortstop for the last-place Twins. The career .275 hitter goes from last to first, east to west, AL to NL in this deal, but it may all be worth it in October.
After playing in just 87 games last season, the 31-year-old is having a comeback year to remember, hitting .256 with 16 home runs and 45 RBIs. The 12-year player was also leading the Padres with 20 stolen bases, proving that both his power and speed are back in full force.
Upton is making $15.45 million this season, and $16.45 million next year, which the Padres will pay all but $5 million of. They did send cash Toronto's way in the deal.
San Diego arrived in Toronto on Sunday night for a three-game series with the Blue Jays, giving Toronto an inside edge for scouting. The Baltimore Orioles also expressed interest in trading for Upton. The Padres also sent reliever Joaquin Benoit to Toronto for struggling reliever Drew Storen, who was recently designated for assignment.
San Diego dealt another star on Friday morning, sending ace Andrew Cashner to the Miami Marlins, who are officially in the race for the long haul. Right-hander Colin Rea is also reportedly heading to Miami. Jarred Cosart is said to be going the other way to the Padres, along with first-round pick, Josh Naylor, and a pitching prospect.
Cashner joined San Diego in 2012 and was the longest-current Padre on the team. The 29-year-old is 4-7 this year with a 4.76 ERA in 79.1 innings. Rea has gone 5-5 with a 4.98 ERA in 99.1 innings. Both will join the Marlins in their quest for a playoff berth, as they sit tied for second in the NL Wild Card hunt.
It's an even year, so everyone is expecting the San Francisco Giants to stick around the whole way through. One of baseball's best team made an impressive move on Thursday night, acquiring infielder Eduardo Nunez from the Minnesota Twins for a minor league pitcher. The Twins' lone All-Star this year is batting .296 with 12 home runs and 47 RBIs, and was leading the American League with 27 steals.
The Giants' infield has been hampered with injuries all season long, including Joe Panik, who was just recently activated off the DL. Both Matt Duffy and Ehire Adrianza have missed significant playing time.
The 28-year-old Nunez is expected to start at third base for San Francisco, after playing just 28 games there this year. He was primarily a shortstop for the last-place Twins. The career .275 hitter goes from last to first, east to west, AL to NL in this deal, but it may all be worth it in October.
