If you thought Toronto was done adding to its immensely talented lineup, you were wrong. The Blue Jays added one final piece, upgrading in left field as they hope to have the final roster needed to make a playoff run. The Philadelphia Phillies will send Ben Revere to the Blue Jays for a prospect. Phillies' reporter Todd Zolecki first reported the deal.
Toronto has put out a strong lineup all season, but had to have grown tired of tossing Danny Valencia into left field every day. Valencia wasn't just poor defensively, but he was put at the bottom of the lineup and just didn't offer much production, unless he was facing a left-handed pitcher.
Revere solves multiple problems for the Blue Jays, giving them a reliable defender in left field and a strong leadoff hitter who can rack up stolen bases and provide Troy Tulowitzki, Josh Donaldson, Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion with RBI opportunities.
The 27-year-old outfielder has a .298 batting average with a .334 on-base percentage and has swiped 24 bases in 29 attempts this season. He is owed $4.1 million this season and will be arbitration eligible for the 2016 and '17 seasons before becoming a free agent. Toronto not only gets a perfect fit defensively and for their lineup, but a player who is under contract for multiple seasons.
It is not yet known which prospect(s) the Phillies will receiver in return. This story will be updated when that information is made available.
Fantasy Spin
This is excellent news for Revere's fantasy value. He'll immediately slide into a stacked Blue Jays' lineup and the opportunities for runs will be limitless. Revere will have opportunities to steal plenty of bases running on the Rogers Centre' turf and have numerous sluggers behind him to drive him in. Through the entire trade deadline, Revere and his fantasy value are two of the biggest winners out there.