Blue Jays acquire versatile infielder Yangervis Solarte from Padres
While the free agent market continues to be at a standstill, the Toronto Blue Jays and San Diego Padres were involved in a trade.
The Blue Jays acquired infielder Yangervis Solarte for two minor leaguers, outfielder Edward Olivares and right-handed pitcher Jared Carkuff.
The deal gives the Blue Jays depth behind oft-injured shortstop Troy Tulowitzki and second baseman Devon Travis.
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For the Padres, it alleviates a crowded infield that includes first baseman Wil Myers, second baseman, Carlos Asuaje, shortstop Freddy Galvis and third baseman Case Headley and backup infielders Christian Villanueva and Cory Spangenberg.
Solarte, 30, had been on the trade block all winter and even at the 2017 trade deadline, is a career .267 hitter with a .746 OPS. A fan favorite in San Diego, he has proven to be a versatile infielder.
He is owed $4.125 million this year with club options worth $5.5 million in 2019 and $8 million in 2020.
The Padres also re-signed free agent reliever Craig Stammen to a two-year deal and signed Japanese right-hander Kazuhisa Makita to a two-year deal.
Stammen was fifth in the majors with 80 1/3 relief innings with a 3.14 ERA last season.
Makita, also 33, was 10-4 with a 1.91 ERA the last two seasons with the Seibu Lions in Japan. The submarine-throwing pitcher was the closer for bronze medal-winning Japan in the World Baseball Classic in 2013 and 2017, going a combined 2-0 with three saves.
Contributing: AP
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