Blue Jays trade Grichuk and $9.7M to Rockies for Tapia
Advertisement
Read this article for free:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Monthly Digital Subscription
$0 for the first 4 weeks*
- Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
- Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
- Access News Break, our award-winning app
- Play interactive puzzles
*No charge for 4 weeks then price increases to the regular rate of $19.00 plus GST every four weeks. Offer available to new and qualified returning subscribers only. Cancel any time.
Monthly Digital Subscription
$4.75/week*
- Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
- Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
- Access News Break, our award-winning app
- Play interactive puzzles
*Billed as $19 plus GST every four weeks. Cancel any time.
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Add Free Press access to your Brandon Sun subscription for only an additional
$1 for the first 4 weeks*
*Your next subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $16.99 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $23.99 plus GST every four weeks.
Read unlimited articles for free today:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 24/03/2022 (1358 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
TORONTO (AP) — The Toronto Blue Jays traded outfielder Randal Grichuk and just over $9.7 million to the Colorado Rockies on Thursday for outfielder Raimel Tapia and minor league infielder Adrian Pinto.
The 29-year-old Grichuk hit .241 with 22 homers and 81 RBIs in 149 games last season. He was dealt two days after hitting a grand slam in a spring training game against the Yankees.
The cash will offset a little more than half the $18.7 million Grichuk is owed over the final two seasons of his $52 million, five-year contract.
Toronto will pay Colorado $9,716,333 — $5,383,333 this year and $4,333,333 in 2023 — covering a little more than half the $18,666,666 owed to Grichuk, who has salaries of $9,333,333 in each of the next two seasons.
Tapia agreed this week to a $3.95 million, one-year contract and is eligible for free agency after the 2023 season.
The free agent signing of infielder/outfielder Kris Bryant had a big impact on Tapia, who was penciled in as the team’s left fielder before Bryant’s arrival. Tapia became the odd-outfielder-out with Sam Hilliard in center and Charlie Blackmon in right.
Known for his speed, Tapia tied for the team lead with 20 stolen bases last season. The 28-year-old from the Dominican Republic also hit .273 with six homers and 50 RBIs.
In 2020, Tapia got a boost in playing time with Ian Desmond electing to opt out of the season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Tapia finished with a career-best .321 average that season.
Tapia made his big league debut with Colorado in Sept. 2, 2016.
The Blue Jays signed Grichuk to a long-term deal in 2019 but he wasn’t assured of a starting job. Toronto has George Springer, Teoscar Hernández and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. in the outfield.
A first-round pick of the Los Angeles Angels in 2009, Grichuk got traded to the St. Louis Cardinals in 2013. He was dealt again when the Cards sent him to the Blue Jays in January 2018.
Pinto earned MVP honors in the Dominican Summer League after hitting .360 for DSL Colorado. He also stole a league-leading 41 bases.
The 19-year-old signed with the Rockies as an international free agent in July 2019.
___
AP Baseball Writer Ronald Blum and AP Sports Writer Pat Graham contributed to this report.
___
More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Related Articles
Rogers Centre about to undergo major renovation, Blue Jays president Mark Shapiro says
Advertisement Advertise With Us