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MLB Trade Rumors: Toronto Blue Jays Acquire David Price [Update]

By Mark Suleymanov
Published on: 04:19 PST, Jul 30, 2015

UPDATE (x2): As first reported by Gideon Turk of BlueJaysPlus, the Tigers will receive the trio of Daniel Norris, Matt Boyd and Jairo Labourt in exchange for Price.

Norris, 22, is the centerpiece of this trade. He exhibits above average stuff but his control is not always there. He pitched for the Major League team earlier this season but has walked 17 hitters through 30 innings of work in his career.. But he has shown promise at Triple-A, pitching to a 4.27 ERA but to an unsightly record of 3-10.

The other two pieces are also promising young pitchers. Labourt, 21, is pitching to a 2-7 record with a 4.59 ERA in 18 starts in Single-A. Finally, Boyd had a dreadful cup of coffee in the Majors this season, pitching to a 14.85 ERA and losing both games. He’s mostly pitched in both Double and Triple-A this season, posting combined stats of a 9-2 record with a 1.68 ERA in 18 starts. He’s the oldest player of the bunch at 24-years-old.

Joel Sherman reports that no money is included in the trade as the Blue Jays will pay the rest of Price’s salary.

UPDATE: Jon Heyman is reporting that David Price is heading to the Toronto Blue Jays. Daniel Norris and Anthony Alford are two names heading back to the Tigers. The deal is pending physicals.

The Toronto Blue Jays are reportedly making a “major” push to acquire Detroit Tigers left-handed pitcher David Price, according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.

With Cole Hamels off the board, the 29-year-old Price is the top starter remaining on the market. The Blue Jays were one of four teams that were rumored to be in hot pursuit of the former longtime Tampa Bay Ray pitcher. If they do acquire him, they will likely be considered the winners of the trade deadline.

After acquiring Troy Tulowitzki from the Colorado Rockies, the Blue Jays lineup went from good to great, featuring a bevy of right-handed sluggers. Now, if they consummate a deal for Price, they would strengthen their team and would become instant favorites for the Wild Card in the American League and perhaps be poised to fight the New York Yankees for the AL East crown.

On the season, Price boasts a 9-4 record with a 2.53 ERA through 146 innings. He is having another strong season, but will be a free agent at the end of this season. Therefore, the Jays may only enjoy two months of the Price being right in Toronto. However, he makes sense for the Blue Jays in more ways than just his obvious abilities.

First and foremost, Price spent the first 7.5 years of his career with Rays, a fellow AL East team. That means he is familiar with the entire league, the hitters, stadiums, and more. He would slot into the Jays rotation and instantly take the team from fringe contenders to legitimate contenders. Heyman also notes that the Jays are currently viewed as the favorites to land Price at this point.

Other teams such as the Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, and San Francisco Giants have varying degrees of interest. But with their intensified effort, the Blue Jays could quickly obtain Price. Price would join the likes of Mark Buehrle, RA Dickey, and Marco Estrada in the Blue Jays rotation. While the team’s rotation has been stable, it still lacks a true ace, something the caliber of a player like Price would offer. One thing that in the Blue Jays’ favor is that they have the prospects to offer Detroit to facilitate a trade.

At last word, Heyman is reporting that the Jays are “closing in” on adding Price.

[Image by Harry How / Getty Images]

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