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Posted: Thu Jan 10, 2019 10:13 am
TORONTO -- Outfielder Melvin Upton Jr. was already in Toronto with the San Diego Padres when they traded him across the diamond to the Blue Jays.Joining his new team was a lot more complicated than walking down the hall.The Blue Jays acquired Upton and cash from the Padres on Tuesday in exchange for minor league right-hander Hansel Rodriguez. They also added reliever Joaquin Benoit from the Mariners for right-hander Drew Storen in a deal announced shortly after a 7-6, 12-inning win over San Diego.Upton couldnt join Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins for an early afternoon press conference because he was at the nearest border crossing being cleared to re-enter Canada.When he arrived with the Padres on Sunday night, Upton was treated as a visitor. As a member of the Blue Jays, he requires a work visa to enter Canada.Upton drove to Lewiston, New York, about 25 miles north of Buffalo, and was back in Toronto about two hours before game time.About an hour and a half ride there, Upton said after returning to Rogers Centre and taking batting practice with his new team. Sat at border patrol for a little while, jumped in the car and came back. It all went pretty smoothly.Unsure how soon Upton would return, Blue Jays manager John Gibbons left his new player out of Tuesdays starting lineup -- Upton grounded into a fielders choice as a pinch hitter in the seventh inning. Gibbons said he expects to start Upton in Wednesdays series finale.Hes having a nice year, Gibbons said. We think hell add something.Upton has had a big season for the rebuilding Padres, who are mired in fourth place in the NL West. He is hitting .256 with 16 home runs, 45 RBI, 46 runs scored and 20 stolen bases. Hes hit three walk-off home runs.What attracted us to him was several things, Atkins said. The defense at all three positions, speed, base-running, base-stealer, power, versatility and depth.Toronto is 56-44, three games behind Baltimore in the AL East. The Blue Jays hold the second wild-card spot.Upton is in the fourth year of a five-year, $75.25 million contract he signed with the Braves before the 2013 season. Hes owed $16.45 million next season.The Padres will reportedly pay all but $5 million of the $22.5 million remaining on Uptons contract.Padres general manager A.J. Preller and Atkins said the deal had been in the works for a few weeks, with Toronto reaching out in mid-June after slugger Jose Bautista went on the 15-day disabled list with a sore left big toe. Bautista returned Monday.Upton has rejuvenated his career after struggling with the Braves.Im definitely in a different place mentally, he said. I was able to clear my mind and start having fun againPreller praised Upton for playing well on both sides of the ballHe has a chance to be a 30-30 guy, Preller said. Hes hit some big home runs in some big spots and has played tremendous defense for us in left field.Two of Torontos three current outfielders, Bautista and All-Star Michael Saunders, are free agents at the end of this season.In the short term, Atkins said he expects Upton to be used as a part-time player, pinch-runner and defensive replacement.It would likely take an injury for him to turn into an everyday outfielder with us, Atkins said.Atkins said the Blue Jays are not done in any way when it comes to trades, with an emphasis on improving the pitching staff.Theres not one team we havent contacted on several occasions, he said, adding that regular talks are ongoing with five to 10 teams.The Padres got Upton and closer Craig Kimbrel in a trade with Atlanta on the eve of opening day 2015. Upton missed a good deal of last season with a foot injury. His brother, Justin, also was with the Padres last season.Kimbrel was traded to Boston in the offseason for prospects and Justin Upton left as a free agent.Were looking at what were going to do in the future, Padres manager Andy Green said. We want to give these younger guys a real look.Green said the Padres will play a man short Tuesday and add another position player before Wednesdays game.The 19-year-old Rodriguez was 2-1 with a 3.06 ERA in six starts for the Rookie-Level Bluefield Blue Jays.With trade rumors swirling, Upton sat out San Diegos last two games, including Mondays 4-2 loss at Toronto.Toronto optioned right-hander Ryan Tepera to Triple-A Buffalo to make room for Upton. Green Air Max 90 Shoes . PAUL, Minn. Discount Air Max 90 Shoes . -- The Portland Timbers and Real Salt Lake played to a 0-0 tie Saturday night that left the top of the Western Conference standings unchanged. http://www.cheapairmax90shoes.com/ . The 29-year-old Baines has established himself as one of the top attacking full backs in the country and was the subject of two bids from United during the last off-season. Everton manager Roberto Martinez says that keeping Baines at the club is a "massive boost and exciting for the future" because he brings "maturity and football knowledge in a very specialized position on the pitch" and an "infectious and positive influence to the rest of the squad. Wholesale Air Max 90 Shoes . -- Derrick Rose shook off poor shooting early to hit clutch shots late and Carlos Boozer had 20 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Chicago Bulls to a 104-95 preseason victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night. Grey Air Max 90 Shoes . President of baseball operations Larry Beinfest was fired Friday after 12 years with the Marlins. The move came as the team neared the end of its third consecutive last-place season in the NL East. CLEVELAND -- Trevor Bauer had hoped to pitch a bloody good game. Instead, he had trouble finding the plate and his pitch count rose rapidly.Nine days after he walked off the mound with his stitched-up right pinkie dripping blood as if in some horror flick, Bauer failed to finish the fourth inning and left the Cleveland Indians with a two-run deficit. The Chicago Cubs went on to a 5-1 victory Wednesday night behind Jake Arrieta, tying the World Series at one game apiece as it heads to Wrigley Field for the first time since 1945.I just wasnt sharp for whatever reason, Bauer said.His postseason interrupted by a sliced finger, the result of tinkering with one of the drones he enjoys flying as a hobby, Bauer never got into a flow against the Cubs. He started six of his first nine batters with balls while scattering pitches high, low and wide. Anthony Rizzos RBI double in the first and Kyle Schwarbers run-scoring single in the third -- his first hit on a 3-0 pitch -- built Chicagos 2-0 lead.They never let him settle into the game, Indians manager Terry Francona said. They didnt chase. They had a lot of deep counts.Bauer said he entered the start with his normal routine, but did throw to batters on Monday. He needed 87 pitches to get 11 outs on the 43-degree night.Tough conditions to play in, obviously, he said.A 25-year-old right-hander selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks from UCLA with the third pick in the 2011 amateur draft, Bauer is somewhat of an eccentric. He prepares for starts by making long tosses of about 300 feet between the foul poles. In an era when his colleagues are trying to refine and master two or three pitches, he throws a four-seam fastball, sinker, curveball, cutter, slider and changeup.His curve stymied him early against the Cubs.Its tough on a cold night, Bauer said. Theres no moisture in the air, really. Its slippery. Its hard to get a feel for it.ddddddddddddWent up in the cage after the second inning and threw like 20 or 30 of them and got the feel for it, and I thought I was pretty good after that.Bauer won a career-best 12 games this year, but his notoriety increased exponentially after he got hurt Oct. 14. His finger was cut by his toys propeller, a mishap that delayed his AL Championship Series outing against Toronto.Bauer had the drone at the news conference before his Game 3 start, saying, I brought my friend to answer any questions about what happened that I cant answer.Bauer lasted just two outs against the Blue Jays because the 10 stitches he received didnt hold and he began bleeding on the mound. Clevelands bullpen strung together 25 outs for the victory.The odd accident turned Francona into a comedian, too. He said Monday he reserved the right to alter the teams Series roster if we have another drone incident or anything with model airplanes or anything.Before taking the mound, Bauer tweeted a photo of a small drone and a gift card that read Go Cubs Go!I see the (at)Cubs fans love me! Bauer wrote. How nice of them to send me a gift!His offerings to Chicago were generous. Bauer threw 53 pitches for strikes, allowing two runs and six hits in a 90-minute outing that, well, droned on and on as baseball officials fretted over whether rain would arrive before the final out. Sprinkles started in the eighth, but the game went on without interruption.Francona said before the game he intended to use only three starting pitchers in the Series, bringing Game 1 winner Corey Kluber, Bauer and Game 3 starter Josh Tomlin back to face the Cubs on three days rest.I like to pitch whenever they tell me to pitch, Bauer said. Ill be ready. 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