CarterHud

                 The Toronto Blue Jays have acquired INF Yangervis Solarte from the San Diego Padres in exchange for OF Edward Olivares and RHP Jared Carkuff.

                 Solarte is mainly a 3B, but with Josh Donaldson there, X that one of the Solarte chart. His second position, second base, is occupied by the oft-injured Devon Travis, and maybe newly acquire SS Aledmys Diaz. His third position, SS, is occupied by Troy Tulowitzki, then Diaz. So, his role probably will be backup 2B/3B.

                  Solarte, 30, hit .255 with 18 homers and 64 RBIs in 512 Plate Appearances for the Padres this year. In his MLB career for the Padres and New York Yankees, Solarte has a batting average of .267, with 57 homers and 246 RBIs in 2061 Plate Appearances.

                 The Padres have a lot of infielders, and as rebuilders, getting two prospects is a win. Freddy Galvis, Carlos Asuaje, Cory Spangenberg and Chase Headley (who was formerly traded away by the Padres to the Yankees for Solarte) were chosen over Solarte to stay, so Solarte was traded.

                 Olivares, 21, has a .267 batting average, 22 homers, 110 RBIs and 47 stolen bases in his minor league career.

                Carkuff, 24, has a 3.21 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 88 strikeouts and 15 saves in 89.2 career minor league innings.

                 I think the Jays win this trade. I don\’t see much upside in the prospects, but that\’s just by looking at the stats, and I could be wrong.

                The Edmonton Oilers have acquired goalie Al Montoya from the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for a conditional 2018 4th round pick.

                Montoya is an ok veteran backup goalie, especially for a desperate team. Montoya has barely played this season since he has been dealing with a concussion and last played on November 4th. When he comes back, he can challenge struggling rookie backup Laurent Brossoit for his job.

               Montoya, 32, has a .863 SV% and a 3.77 GAA in four games this season for the Canadiens. In his NHL career for the Canadiens, Florida Panthers, New York Islanders, Phoenix Coyotes and Winnipeg Jets, Montoya has a GAA of 2.63 with a .908 SV% in 159 games played.

                For the Habs, they are sticking with Antti Niemi as Carey Price\’s backup, mainly because Niemi actually hasn\’t allowed seven goals a game with the Habs like he did earlier this year in Pittsburgh. They both are veteran goalies, and Niemi has better history, a Stanley Cup as a rookie starter and a cheaper contract. Plus, he\’s actually healthy.

               Per Chris Johnston of Sportsnet, the Habs get the 4th rounder if Montoya plays in seven more games this season. If not, they get a 5th round pick.

               In a three team trade today, the Chicago White Sox acquired RHP Joakim Soria from the Kansas City Royals, plus LHP Luis Avilan and cash from the Los Angeles Dodgers, with the cash covering Avilan\’s salary. The Dodgers received LHP Scott Alexander from K.C., and INF Jake Peter from the Sox. The Royals received RHP Trevor Oaks and INF Erick Mejia from the Dodgers.

               For the White Sox, this deal gives them two relievers to add to their beat down bullpen. In fact, Soria will get a good shot to be their closer. They only gave up Peter in this deal.

              Soria, 33, had a 3.70 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, one save and 64 strikeouts in 56 innings for the Royals in 2017. In his MLB career for the Royals, Texas Rangers, Detroit Tigers and Pittsburgh Pirates, Soria has a 2.86 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 613 strikeouts and 204 saves in 573.2 innings.

             Avilan, 28, had a 2.93 ERA, 1.39 WHIP and 52 strikeouts in 46 innings for the Dodgers in 2017. In his MLB career for the Dodgers and Atlanta Braves, Avilan has a 2.97 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and 225 strikeouts in 263.1 innings.

             For the Royals, they get two prospects for two relievers. Soria, their closer back in 2007-2011, wasn\’t that great in his two year return to K.C. Alexander is coming off a nice 2017, but as they enter a rebuild, trading away some relievers is a nice start.

             Oaks, 24, had a 3.64 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 72 strikeouts in 84 innings for the AAA Oklahoma City Dodgers in 2017. In his minor league career, Oaks has a 3.27 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 292 strikeouts in 404 innings.

            Mejia, 23, has a .333 batting average with one RBI in 17 Plate Appearances in the Dominican Winter League. In his minor league career, Mejia has a batting average of .279, with 13 homers, 130 RBIs and 101 stolen bases in 1586 Plate Appearances.

            For the Dodgers, they upgrade a lefty reliever from Avilan to Alexander, and get a prospect in Peter in the process. Yes, they give up Oaks and Mejia, but it\’s not a bad deal.

            Alexander, 28, had a 2.48 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and 59 strikeouts, plus four saves in 69 innings for the Royals in 2017. In his MLB career, all for the Royals, Alexander has a 2.78 ERA, 1.37 WHIP and 78 strikeouts in 94 innings.

            Peter, 24, had a .279 batting average, 13 homers, 49 RBIs and 11 stolen bases in 516 Plate Appearances between AA and AAA in 2017. In his minor league career, Peter has a .282 batting average, 24 homers, 185 RBIs and 44 stolen bases in 1884 Plate Appearances.

           I think everybody wins this trade. The Dodgers get a better reliever, the White Sox get some trade bait, and the Royals sell some relievers. So, everybody wins.

               The New Jersey Devils have acquired G Eddie Lack from the Calgary Flames in exchange for defenseman Dalton Prout.

               For the Devils, they already have Cory Schneider and Keith Kinkaid on their roster, plus prospect Mackenzie Blackwood rising, so it\’s a surprise they\’d go out and get Lack. Maybe he will replace Scott Wedgewood in the AHL. Wedgewood was traded earlier this season to the Arizona Coyotes, and is now their backup goalie. Prout isn\’t really needed, so it doesn\’t matter too much.

               Lack, 29, has a 5.29 GAA and .812 SV% in four appearances for the Calgary Flames this year. In his NHL career for the Flames, Carolina Hurricanes and Vancouver Canucks, Lack has a GAA of 2.60, with a .909 SV% in 140 games.

               For the Flames, this move is also surprising. This means they are showing trust in 25 year old David Rittich as their backup. Prospect Jon Gillies is the starter in the AHL, so maybe they didn\’t need Lack with Rittich. They don\’t necessarily need a defenseman, with seven already on their active roster, so I guess Prout will be a call-up man.

               Prout, 27, has no points in four games for the Devils this year. In his NHL career for the Devils and Columbus Blue Jackets, Prout has scored six goals and 30 assists for 36 points in 242 games.

               I think the Devils win this trade. Lack has shown he\’s a stable backup, especially in his Vancouver days, which weren\’t too long ago. I think he definitely has more upside than Prout.

              The San Diego Padres have signed RHPs Tyson Ross and Chris Young to minor league deals. Both will challenge for a rotation spot.

               The Padres need mad rotation help. By adding Ross and Young, two former Padres, it puts veteran leadership, plus skill. Ross started on opening day for the Padres in 2016, but sustained a season ending injury in the game. Young played from 2006 to 2010 in San Diego.

                 Young, 38, had a 7.50 ERA, 2.03 WHIP and 22 strikeouts in 30 innings for the Kansas City Royals  in 2017. In his MLB career for the Royals, Padres, Seattle Mariners, New York Mets and Texas Rangers, Young has a 3.95 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 1062 strikeouts in 1297.2 innings.

                 Ross, 30, had a 7.71 ERA, 1.84 WHIP and 36 strikeouts in 49 innings for the Texas Rangers in 2017. In his MLB career for the Rangers, Padres and Oakland Athletics, Ross has a 3.91 ERA, 1.35 WHIP and 669 strikeouts in 719.2 innings.