Michael Young is reportedly wanting out of Texas and has demanded to be traded according to sources. Now Young is one of the more established hitters in the game, having a .300 career batting average. If the situation doesn’t resolve and Young is indeed leaving the Rangers organization, he will be highly sought after around the league.
Young comes with versatility being able to play both short and third very well, to go along with his ability to man second base also. He has a very respectable career fielding percentage of .978 (.987 2B, .977 SS, and .958 3B.) His reliability at the plate on top of that makes him a most valuable player for any club to have in their lineup.
Anthopoulos should make sure he’s in the middle of any talks relating to Young. If the Jays would acquire him it would solve a lot of their headaches. Young could patrol 3B allowing Bautista to roam the outfield where his strong arm is at its best, also just to go along with he prefers it out there. Everybody knows a player who is happy performs better.
With the departure of Wells, Toronto can easily afford to add Young’s contract to their monthly salary. Just his Veteran presence would be an immense help in the locker room.
The Jays were saddled with Rivera and his contract in the Wells deal, and there’s no secret they wouldn’t mind getting rid of him so having Rivera as one piece in the deal is a no brainer. The other pieces will be worth significantly more and Anthopoulos will most likely have to part ways with a combination of two good pitchers and a draft pick or a pick, a player, and a pitcher.
A very reasonable offer would be Rivera, Purcey, and Ray in exchange for Young.
The Rangers will most likely be interested in acquiring Hechavarria, Lawrie, or even Drabek. The Jays will not part with any of those young prospects so it will be a hard deal to accomplish if the Rangers refuse to budge.
The Jays are in much need for a solid corner infielder and would be fools to pass up making a charge after Young. Blue Jays fans deserve something more than three good star players leaving town in the off-season.
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