Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports that the Athletics have traded third baseman Josh Donaldson to the Blue Jays. The deal has been confirmed by MLB.com’s Jane Lee.
The Athletics will receive infielder Brett Lawrie along with minor league pitchers Kendall Graveman and Sean Nolin, and shortstop Franklin Barreto.
Donaldson, 28, had another productive season for the A’s, batting .255/.342/.456 with 29 home runs and 98 RBI in 695 plate appearances. One has to wonder how he’ll be affected by the turf at the Rogers Centre, however. Donaldson is a Super Two, which means he’ll be arbitration-eligible for four years rather than three, between 2015-18.
Lawrie, 24, missed 84 games in 2014 due to a fractured index finger when he was hit by a pitch, and a strained left oblique. When he was in the lineup, he hit .247/.301/.421 with 12 home runs and 38 RBI in 282 plate appearances. Lawrie is entering arbitration eligibility for the first time in his career and can become a free agent after the 2017 season.
Some info on the minor leaguers, via Richard Griffin of the Toronto Star:
Trade: #BlueJays Graveman upside in middle relief; Nolin fallen down SP depth chart; Barreto hot-shot prospect not projected as SS & Lawrie
— Richard Griffin (@RGriffBaseball) November 29, 2014