Yangervis Solarte will not be sporting a Padres hat in 2018 after being traded to the Blue Jays for two minor leaguers. The Padres will acquire Minor League outfielder Edward Olivares and Minor League right-handed pitcher Jared Carkuff following the trade.

Yangervis Solarte had a slash line of .255/.314/.416 with 18 home runs (career high) and 21 doubles in 128 games with the San Diego Padres in 2017. Solarte is also a career .267 hitter with at least 14 home runs in his last three seasons. The veteran switch-hitting infielder showed off his versatility in 2017, starting at 4 different infield positions during the year. Solarte was typically a second baseman in 2017, starting 74 times there, while he also garnering 24 starts at shortstop, 18 starts at third base and 4 starts at first.

Minor League right-handed pitcher Jared Carkuff posted a 3.86 ERA in 34 relief in 2017 with 51 strikeouts and 15 walks in 63 innings. Minor League outfielder Edward Olivares hit a slash line of .269/.327/.468 with 17 home runs, 27 doubles, 10 triples and 20 stolen bases in 120 games in the Minors.

Solarte will give the Blue Jays something that they desperately needed last season, a layer of protection in which they lacked during an injury-suffused 2017. Toronto had a poor season with a 76-86 record as they slid into 4th place in the AL East. The Blue Jays will use Yangervis Solarte, along with Gift Ngoepe, Richard Urena, and prospect Lourdes Gurriel Jr. as insurance in the likely event that one of their players gets injured in 2018.

The Blue Jays will pay Solarte $4.125 million in 2018, along with a club option of $5.5 million in 2017 and $8 million in 2018. Solarte’s contract will fit nicely with the Jays’ payroll and this deal is almost certain to benefit them in the long run.

All in all, this was a good trade for both teams, with the Blue Jays getting injury insurance, and the Padres getting prospects to plan for their future.