ABOVE: Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos talks Troy Tulowitzki trade
TORONTO – Alex Anthopoulos said the chance to acquire a player of Troy Tulowitzki’s calibre was too good to pass up, even if it meant once again losing some top prospects.
The Blue Jays’ general manager addressed the media Tuesday after announcing the trade with Colorado that brings Tulowitzki and 42-year-old reliever LaTroy Hawkins to Toronto.
The Rockies get shortstop Jose Reyes, reliever Miguel Castro and minor-league pitchers Jeff Hoffman and Jesus Tinoco. Castro and Hoffman are considered two of the Blue Jays’ top young players.
“We’re always focused on the short and the long-term and we felt that an acquisition like this would address both,” Anthopoulos said.
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Anthopoulos has never been afraid to dip into the Jays’ pool of prospects when making trades. Noah Syndergaard, Travis d’Arnaud and Adeiny Hechavarria are a few of the up-and-coming players Anthopoulos has dealt for veterans with hefty contracts.
Toronto’s commitment to Tulowitzki is significant, and not just in the assets lost. Tulowitzki in the second year of a seven-year deal worth a guaranteed US$132 million.
“We weren’t too thrilled about trading some of our better prospects, as we did in this deal, for rentals,” he said. “That’s not to say we’re out of the rental market … but it’s a rare opportunity to get better.”
The talented but oft-injured Tulowitzki is a five-time all-star who is hitting .300 with 12 homers and 53 RBIs in 87 games this season. He has spent his entire 10-year MLB career with Colorado.
He gives Toronto (50-50) another powerful, right-handed bat in a dangerous lineup that already includes Jose Bautista, Josh Donaldson, Edwin Encarnacion and Russell Martin.
“We’re getting the best shortstop in baseball in our minds, and those opportunities just don’t present themselves,” Anthopoulos said.
The team confirmed that Tulowitzki will not be active for Toronto’s home game Tuesday night against Philadelphia.
In 69 games this year, Reyes has four home runs and 34 RBIs to go along with a .285 average. He was acquired by Toronto in a 2012 blockbuster trade with the Miami Marlins.
Tulowitzki, who was drafted seventh overall by the Rockies in 2005, is in the midst of a six-year, $118 million contract that runs through 2020.
The speedy Reyes is signed through 2017 on a $106 million, six-year contract he received from Miami. A four-time all-star with the New York Mets, Reyes also has struggled with injuries throughout his career.
The 42-year-old Hawkins is 2-1 with a 3.63 ERA in 24 games.
Staying healthy has been his biggest challenge for the six-foot-three Tulowitzki. During his career, he’s had stints on the disabled list for a quadriceps tendon tear, lacerated right hand, broken left wrist and a groin injury.
Last season, Tulowitzki played only 91 games before undergoing hip surgery.
This year, he’s been injury-free, with Rockies manager Walt Weiss resting him on occasion to save wear and tear. Tulowitzki was out of the lineup Sunday, which would’ve been his last appearance at Coors Field in a Rockies uniform.
Asked about Friday’s non-waiver trade deadline before leaving town, Tulowitzki responded: “I don’t worry about it. I’ve been through it multiple times. My job is to play for the Rockies. I signed up to play here for a long time. Until they tell me differently, which they haven’t, I plan on being here.”
News of the trade produced a flurry of social media reaction from several Blue Jays players.
– With files from The Associated Press
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