Blue Jays reportedly trade Hoffman, Castro in Tulowitzki deal

It’s a wild morning to wake up as a fan of the Toronto Blue Jays. After months of pining for a starting pitcher, general manager Alex Anthopoulos has flipped the script with one of the more significant trades in Blue Jays history.

While the full package surrendered for Troy Tulowitzki has yet to be confirmed, industry-wide reports indicate that the Blue Jays will be sending top prospects Jeff Hoffman and Miguel Castro in the deal along with one, possibly two, extra prospect pieces. 


We’ll have plenty more on this deal as it unfolds throughout the day, but this solidifies an even stronger core for the Blue Jays while dealing a value that is, in my opinion, digestible. Jeff Hoffman is viewed highly around baseball while Miguel Castro has the potential to develop into a dominant relief option, but remember, they’re prospects.

The deal gives Toronto arguably the best shortstop in the game to slide in alongside Josh Donaldson, creating one of the best left sides in baseball. Dare we call it the best? This also sets up the Blue Jays with another powerful bat near the heart of their lineup should Jose Bautista or Edwin Encarnacion not be with the club past 2016.

A question that factors into any trade involving the Blue Jays is how the incoming player will take the news. Let’s face it: to an American or International player, Toronto rarely tops the list. A tweet from Ken Rosenthal is allowing me to relax a bit this morning, though, and suggests that Tulowitzki would have been required to give the deal a thumbs-up of sorts.

I don’t expect this to be a standalone move by Anthopoulos, so the next 24 hours should be especially fascinating. There will surely be rumblings leak out about Jose Reyes, too, factual or not, that the Blue Jays viewed him with the same frustration many fans do. While part of me will miss Reyes, Hoffman and Castro, this is a deal you do. The team with the most runs wins, and this turns the Blue Jays into a 25-man roster that can produce an even greater run differential.

For the season, Tulowitzki has hit .305/.353/.478 in 86 games for the Rockies. LaTroy Hawkins, the other piece coming along with Tulowitzki, has been pitching well since returning from injury earlier in the season and should slot into a seventh inning role ahead of Aaron Sanchez and Roberto Osuna.

      **UPDATE: 7:00 ET** Jesus Tinoco has been reported as the final name in the deal. The 20-year old pitcher was with the Single-A Lansing Lugnuts.

Next: Examining Aaron Sanchez as a bullpen bandaid

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