TORONTO -- In the week leading up to the trade deadline, the Toronto Blue Jays traded 10 pitching prospects in an effort to bolster their starting rotation, bullpen and lineup.
The final haul turned out to be ace starter David Price, shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, relievers LaTroy Hawkins and Mark Lowe and outfielder Ben Revere. General manager Alex Anthopoulos hates the term "all-in," but that's exactly what the Blue Jays are for this season.
"People talk about 'all-in' and things like that -- we're trying to win each year," Anthopoulos said Friday. "We believe in the talent, we believe we have a chance to get to the post-season."
That's the expectation if not the mandate for the 2015 Blue Jays, who hit the trade deadline 52-51, two games back of the Minnesota Twins for the second American League wild-card spot and six back of the East Division-leading New York Yankees.
These trades put even more pressure on the loaded Blue Jays to make the playoffs for the first time since 1993 and end the longest drought in North American professional sports.
"There's always pressure," manager John Gibbons said. "I'm excited about that, but I don't think that's changed. But there's pressure on you in this business all the time."
Perhaps the first bit of pressure was on Anthopoulos, whose contract is up at the end of the season, along with team president Paul Beeston's. But the Montreal native said he didn't know going into the week that he was going to be this aggressive and at times feared the Blue Jays wouldn't be able to do much.
Instead, Toronto kicked things off by getting Tulowitzki and Hawkins from the Colorado Rockies for shortstop Jose Reyes and big-time pitching prospects Jeff Hoffman and Miguel Castro. Price cost three more young pitchers in top prospect Daniel Norris and fellow lefties Matt Boyd and Jairo Labourt.
On deadline day, the Blue Jays sent left-handed pitchers Nick Wells, Jacob Brentz and Rob Rasmussen to Seattle for Lowe and right-handers Jimmy Cordero and Alberto Tirado to Philadelphia for Revere.
Lowe, a 32-year-old who revitalized his career this season, has a 1.00 ERA with 37 strikeouts and 11 walks in 36 innings and like Price can be a free agent after this season.
Toronto's bullpen now features Lowe, Hawkins, closer Robert Osuna, right-hander Aaron Sanchez and left-handers Brett Cecil and Aaron Loup.
"It's a different look than it was a couple of weeks ago," Gibbons said. "(Lowe) could pitch anywhere seventh, eighth, ninth, depending on what's going on. He's got that ability."
The 27-year-old, left-handed Revere is expected to join a platoon in left field. In a power lineup that includes Tulowitzki and sluggers Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion, Revere becomes the contact hitter who can also steal bases.
A career .292 hitter, Revere is batting .298 this season with 24 stolen bases after having a .306 average and 49 steals last year. Anthopoulos sees Revere as replacing the speed the Blue Jays lost by trading Reyes.
"I think he was the best fit for us and for our team," Anthopoulos said. "When your shortstop's a middle-of-the-order power hitter, that allows you to carry a left fielder that's not a power hitter, that's the profile that he brings: contact, slap the ball around and run and create havoc on the base paths, things like that."
Revere told reporters in Philadelphia he's looking forward to joining a contender.
"I've seen guys go from last place teams to potentially winning a World Series in the same year, or go to a team that goes into the playoffs," he said. "Doesn't matter if it's a wild card spot or if we go all the way. I'm just trying my best to help the team win."
Winning this year is the priority, especially considering Price will be one of the most sought-after free agents in baseball, Hawkins is expected to retire and Lowe should be due for a significant raise.
In Tulowitzki and Revere, the Blue Jays picked up players who can help beyond this season. Tulowitzki is signed through 2020 and Revere is under team control through 2017.
"You already knew you were dealing with a strong opponent, and they got significantly better," Yankees GM Brian Cashman said in Chicago about the Blue Jays.
Anthopoulos insisted Thursday that the Blue Jays are "always focused on the short and long-term." Unlike last year, when the Blue Jays were quiet at the trade deadline, this flurry of moves suggests a belief that this team can at least make the playoffs, if not go on a significant run.
"At that point anything can happen," Anthopoulos said.
