Earlier this offseason the Atlanta Braves were doing what they could to trade powerful outfielder Justin Upton. Eventually they found a taker in the San Diego Padres, though beforehand they attempted to trade Upton to the Toronto Blue Jays.
Talks apparently didn’t go very far though as Atlanta’s asking price was right-hand pitcher Jeff Hoffman.
The Blue Jays believe Hoffman, who was injured last season, will become a fixture of their starting pitching rotation and understandably had zero desire to move him for an expensive and fading outfielder like Upton.
Despite the fact he won’t be ready to pitch in games until May — and despite the fact that as a 2014 draftee, he couldn’t join his new team until after this June’s draft — the Atlanta Braves asked the Blue Jays if they would make Hoffman the focal point of a deal for outfielder Justin Upton, who is a year away from free agency. Hoffman would have been a player to be named later. The answer was an emphatic “no.”
While a proven talent like Upton (despite his warts) would have been a nice addition for the Blue Jays, Hoffman could pull far greater talent if he was ever placed on the trade block.
He’s still a few seasons away from joining R.A. Dickey and company in Toronto’s starting rotation, but he looks as if he’ll be on the fast track assuming he remains healthy.
