Blue Jays acquire Brett Wallace from Orioles
The Toronto Blue Jays have acquired first baseman Brett Wallace in a trade with the Baltimore Orioles, reports David Hall of the Virginia Pilot. Baltimore will receive cash considerations in exchange for Wallace, according to Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com.
More from Baltimore Orioles
- Shohei Ohtani trade rumors live tracker: Every update so far
- MLB Rumors: Potential Braves reunion, Lance Lynn no-trade clause and Orioles deadline intentions
- MLB Rumors: Cardinals budging on Arenado, Orioles-Ohtani package, Yankees backup plan
- MLB Rumors: Shohei Ohtani, Angels, Dodgers, Rich Hill
- NY Mets: 4 monstrous trade packages for Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer
This will be the second stint in the Blue Jays organization for Wallace, a former first-round and top prospect who has struggled to establish himself at the big league level. He’s spent the entirety of the 2014 season in Triple-A, batting .265/.329/.389 for Baltimore’s affiliate in Norfolk.
The minor leagues have never been the issue for Wallace, though. He’s a .300/.366/.479 hitter over 1,981 plate appearances at the Triple-A level, and needed less than two years to get there after being drafted by the Cardinals with the No. 13 overall pick in the 2008 draft.
Wallace also played at least 50 games every season for the Houston Astros from 2010-13. During that time, he batted .242/.313/.391 with 29 homers over 1,077 plate appearances, proving to be a slightly below-average hitter with little to contribute elsewhere on the field.
In Toronto, he should at least be able to provide some depth as the team looks to weather some midseason injuries. The Blue Jays recently promoted Dan Johnson from Triple-A Buffalo to help cover first base while Edwin Encarnacion and Adam Lind recover from physical issues, and Wallace will be able to help cover some at-bats in the meantime.
Johnson should be an intriguing play for Toronto the next couple weeks. The 34-year-old has batted .248/.402/.471 with 17 home runs in 403 plate appearances with Buffalo this season.