The Toronto Blue Jays finalized a deal with the San Diego Padres this morning that sent Melvin Upton, Jr. and some $17 million north of the border for a prospect MLB.com ranked as the 18th best in a not strong Toronto farm system. If that's any indication of the current going rate for veteran outfield bats in the current market, the Cincinnati Reds may find themselves in a bit of a quandary for the next five days in their efforts to trade Jay Bruce.
It's becoming increasingly clear that the recently successful model used by the Kansas City Royals - one with heavy emphasis on a stacked bullpen - is driving the prices for relievers sky-high (as evidenced by the Craig Kimbrel and Aroldis Chapman trades and the asking price for current Royals closer Wade Davis), while the market for outfield bats has taken a serious back seat.