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Blue Jays shifting attention to pitching
- Updated: July 26, 2016
TORONTO — The Blue Jays upgraded their lineup, and now the focus will shift squarely to the pitching staff.
Toronto acquired veteran outfielder Melvin Upton Jr. from the Padres on Tuesday afternoon, in exchange for Hansel Rodriguez, the club’s No. 18 prospect, according to MLBPipeline.com. That addressed one of the Blue Jays’ needs, but with six days remaining until the Aug. 1 non-waiver Trade Deadline, they remain in the market for help in their bullpen and depth in their starting rotation.
“There’s not one team we haven’t contacted on several occasions,” Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins said. “We’ve contacted all 29 on several occasions in some way, and there’s five to 10 teams we’re talking to on a regular basis, and now it’s mostly focused on pitching.”
Toronto’s needs at the Deadline revolve around the future status of right-hander Aaron Sanchez. The 24-year-old has been one of the top starters in the American League this year, but Toronto opened the year saying he would be under an innings limit, and he would eventually move to the bullpen.
The Blue Jays have sent some mixed signals about their intentions since then, but by all accounts, the expectation is that Sanchez will still become a …
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