UPDATED: Blue Jays send Hansel Rodriguez to Padres, San Diego eating majority of salary

Toronto Blue Jays acquire Melvin Upton Jr. for Hansel Rodriguez and cash considerations. Updates to follow:

11:40 a.m. ET

Jon Heyman first reported that it would be right-handed pitcher Hansel Rodriguez, who is currently pitching with the Bluefield Blue Jays. He also reports that the the Padres will be paying “all but $5 million” of the remaining $22+ million remaining on Upton’s deal.

Rodriguez, who signed with the Jays out of the Domincan Republic for $330,000 in 2014, is 2-1 with a 3.06 ERA in 31.1 innings this year.

9:22 a.m. ET

Following the Toronto Blue Jays’ reported addition of Melvin Upton Jr. this morning from the San Diego Padres for a single-A prospect, details have begun to emerge around the deal that is expected to send the former number two pick across the diamond for tonight’s game.

Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi is reporting that a financial component will be involved in the deal as Upton has close to $22 million remaining on the final year-plus of his deal.

This shouldn’t come as a surprise as the Padres are looking to free themselves from financial commitments in order to retool, but the extent to which San Diego chips in will be a critical balance in the overall picture of this deal.

Should San Diego pay off nearly all of Upton’s remaining salary, that would suggest a stronger prospect comes the other way from Toronto. In turn, a lesser financial offset would result in a lesser return.

Davidi also reports that the Blue Jays see Upton as a “complementary” player. Given the presence of Michael Saunders, Kevin Pillar, and Jose Bautista in the outfield, his role and usage for manager John Gibbons will be an immediate factor to monitor.

With Bautista going nowhere, Upton’s more direct forms of competition for playing time will be current fourth outfielder Ezequiel Carrera and first-baseman Justin Smoak, who would be bumped from the starting lineup if Bautista were to see significant time as the Blue Jays designated hitter with Upton in right.

Upton has played primarily as a centre-fielder in his career, though he did see time at second, third, and shortstop in his early Tampa Bay days. He has started just one career MLB game in right field.

Stay tuned to Jays Journal throughout the day for all details as they unfold.