CATCHER MONTERO MOVES ON TO TORONTO
The Toronto Blue Jays acquired catcher Miguel Montero and cash from the Chicago Cubs for a player to be named later or cash considerations.
What does it give the Toronto Blue Jays
Heading into this season the Blue Jays hoped Jarrod Saltalamacchia would be their top backup spotting Russell Martin behind the dish, but Salty didn't pan out. Enter Montero, a good-hitting vet who can provide some pop from the left side. Currently Toronto's main backup behind righty Martin is the righty-hitting, unproven, light-hitting Luke Maile, so this move brings a clear offensive upgrade. Montero's not a top defensive catcher, but Martin can handle most of the staff as usual. This is a somewhat risky move by the Blue Jays, but Toronto has done a solid job in recent years of managing diverse personalities in the clubhouse. The Jays are also a veteran-laden group, so Montero is less likely to have a negative affect on them than he might have with the more-youthful Cubs.
What does it give the Chicago Cubs
This move is about team chemistry as much as anything for the Cubs. Montero, 33, was openly critical of his team in recent months (including complaining about his role in the playoffs, then blaming ace Jake Arrieta recently for a rash of stolen bases), and Cubs brass made it clear they were tired of his attitude. The Cubs recently called up solid catcher prospect Victor Caratini, who's a talented (and possibly ready) option for their backup role behind Willson Contreras.
Fantasy impact
There isn't much fantasy impact for either the Jays nor the Cubs here, since Montero and Caratini are both backups. That said, expect both to see a minor bump in fantasy value moving forward, and both will be pickup-worthy if respective starters Martin and / or Contreras get injured.
Player focus
Chicago Cubs
a player to be named later