Blue Jays acquire Melvin Upton Jr. from Padres

With the Toronto Blue Jays three games out of first place in the AL East, the club bulked up its outfield Tuesday by acquiring Melvin Upton Jr. and cash considerations from the San Diego Padres in exchange for minor-league right-hander Hansel Rodriguez.

The Padres will pay all but $5 million of Upton's contract to help reduce the risk of the move for Toronto, according to MLB Network's Jon Heyman.

Upton is earning $15.45 million this season and set to make $16.45 million next season.

Fantasy Fallout: Trade to Toronto helps and hurts Upton Jr.'s value

Adding the 31-year-old speedster creates a logjam in Toronto's outfield, which already contains a starting three of Jose Bautista, Kevin Pillar, and Michael Saunders. Ezequiel Carrera is the team's fourth outfielder.

Upton is in the midst of a turnaround season for the Padres, hitting 16 home runs while adding 45 RBIs and 20 stolen bases to a .256/.304/.439 slash line, although he's struck out 106 times in 374 plate appearances.

Rodriguez, 19, is ranked 18th among Blue Jays prospects, according to MLB Pipeline, and owns a 2-1 record with a 3.06 ERA in six starts for the Bluefield Blue Jays.

Talks between the Blue Jays and Padres, who square off against one another Tuesday evening in the second game of a three-game series, may not be finished.

Toronto is also reportedly interested in San Diego right-hander Andrew Cashner as a "big arm" out of the bullpen, according to Heyman, although it's believed that Cashner would be unhappy with anything but a starting role.