Blue Jays rumours: Kicking tires on Melvin Upton Jr.

The Toronto Blue Jays continue to be mentioned in discussions on the trade front that would bring in another outfielder. According to a report from Jim Bowden from ESPN, the Blue Jays have been “linked to” Melvin Upton Jr. of the San Diego Padres.

With the non-waiver trade deadline looming, reports like these are common as teams explore every possible avenue to find a way to improve. Upton makes the list of outfield candidates that includes the recurring Jay Bruce rumour and now Carlos Beltran, also reported by Bowden.

Upton has an extra year left on his contract for the 2017 season worth $16.45M. His contract is not as team-friendly as impending free agent Beltran or Bruce, who has a flexible team option for next season. With Jose Bautista and Michael Saunders both hitting the free agent market, though, the idea of bringing in some stability for next season makes sense. 

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Blue Jays fans can remember the deadly speed and power combination that B.J. Upton gave the top of the Tampa Bay Rays lineup for years. In his seventh and final season with the Rays he hit 28 home runs and stole 31 bases, before signing a five year deal worth $72.25M with the Braves.

His time in Atlanta was disastrous. In 128 games in his first season with the Braves he slashed .184 / .268 / .289 with nine home runs and 12 stolen bases. While his next year was a slight improvement, the damage was done and Upton was dealt to the Padres as a throw-in and financial dump with Craig Kimbrel, just two years after signing a big contract.

Upton became a valuable piece for the Padres last season, when he was healthy. He played just 87 games, already matching his total this season. This year, Upton looks healthy and seems to have regained some of the skill-set that made him so valuable in his younger years. Even in the unforgiving confines of Petco Park, Upton has belted 16 home runs and is on pace to set a new career high — the Rogers Centre would certainly help with that. He has also swiped 20 bags in 25 attempts, good for fourth in the National League. He bounces around between the leadoff and fifth spot in the lineup, although a lower slot is more suitable with his high strikeout and low walk rates.

Yes, the Blue Jays already have a number of outfield options beyond Bautista and Saunders, with Ezequiel Carrera, Dalton Pompey, and Junior Lake on board. But with Bautista’s nagging turf toe injury, and Carrera’s bat cooling down, adding another offensive weapon would be a big boost as they make a playoff run. Adding the salary to the books for next year would likely eliminate the seemingly distant possibility of keeping Bautista around. The extra outfielder would put Bautista at the DH spot more often than not and bump Edwin Encarnacion into a more prominent first baseman’s role, which could be another concern.

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This time of year is all about possibility and perspective and while the rumours are likely nothing more than a “hey, what do we think of this guy” from the Blue Jays brass, Melvin Upton Jr. is an intriguing asset — especially for a team in a power-hungry division like the American League East.