The many links between the Blue Jays and Giants

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - JUNE 05: Jose Bautista #19 of the Toronto Blue Jays and Pablo Sandoval #48 of the San Francisco Giants both react after Bautista stole third base in the fifth inning of their game against the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park on June 5, 2013 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - JUNE 05: Jose Bautista #19 of the Toronto Blue Jays and Pablo Sandoval #48 of the San Francisco Giants both react after Bautista stole third base in the fifth inning of their game against the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park on June 5, 2013 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /
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BOSTON, MA – JULY 30: Melky Cabrera #53 of the Toronto Blue Jays break his bat as he singles in the sixth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on July 30, 2014 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA – JULY 30: Melky Cabrera #53 of the Toronto Blue Jays break his bat as he singles in the sixth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on July 30, 2014 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images) /

Melky Cabrera – A Short-Lived Stint

Another exciting and often frustrating former Toronto Blue Jay, Melky Cabrera joined the Blue Jays in 2013 after regaining his free agent stock with the Giants in 2012. Though he missed time due to a suspension, Melky, 27 at the time, slashed .346/.390/.516 in 113 games for the Giants, hitting 11 home runs and driving in 60 to go along with 13 stolen bases, 10 triples, and 25 doubles.

An All-Star in his first and only season in San Francisco, Melky signed a two-year, $16 million contract with the Blue Jays in November 2012. Though he struggled heavily in his first season north of the border (.279/.322/.360, 3 HR, 30 RBI, 47 SO in 344 ABs in 88 G), an offseason surgery seemed to cure everything, as the new and improved Melky Cabrera turned around and forcefully slashed .301/.351/.458 with the Jays in 2014, adding 16 homers, 73 RBI and 35 doubles.

After leaving Toronto, Melky ended up signing a three-year contract with the Chicago White Sox, eventually being dealt to the Kansas City Royals in 2017. In 2018, he spent time with the Cleveland Indians, largely serving as a fourth outfielder and only tallying 278 plate appearances in 78 games.

For his career, he’s 15th among active players in at-bats, 16th in games played and triples, 18th in doubles, and 26th in runs scored. Prior to the Giants-Blue Jays era of his career, the native of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, played for the rival New York Yankees and the Atlanta Braves.