TORONTO - The Toronto Blue Jays swapped shortstops with the Atlanta Braves, acquiring Yunel Escobar for veteran Alex Gonzalez in a five-player trade Wednesday.

The Blue Jays also get 25-year-old left-hander Jo-Jo Reyes while sending prospects Tim Collins, a lefty, and infielder Tyler Pastornicky to the Braves.

Escobar is the key piece for the Blue Jays, someone who can fill the void up the middle for a few seasons until top prospect Adeiny Hechavarria is ready.

But the 27-year-old is more than just a stop-gap.

The six-foot-two, 200-pound Cuban batted .299 with 26 doubles, 14 home runs, 76 RBI and a .377 on-base percentage in 2009.

He owns a career .291 average with 87 doubles, 29 home runs and a .368 on base percentage over 446 career games with Atlanta.

Though he's slumped to a .238 average with 12 doubles in 75 games this season, Jays general manager Alex Anthopolous believes Escobar is worth the gamble.

"We feel that Yunel Escobar will absolutely turn it around," he said.

"There's certainly an element of risk there, but we feel he has a very good opportunity to turn it around. I think if Yunel Escobar was doing what he did in the past, he's not available to us and this trade does not present itself."

Gonzalez, 33, is batting .259 with 17 homers and 50 RBIs while playing superb defence, but is well over his career norms in recent years.

He's making US$2.75 million this season and has an option worth $2.5 million next season.

"(Gonzalez) understands this is the way the game works, it's not the first time he's been traded," said Anthopolous. "He's very grateful for everything we've done for him. . . He's a complete pro."

Anthopolous said the move was not the start of a roster fire sale, pointing out that the team is sticking with slumping players such as Aaron Hill and Adam Lind.

"There's always a chance for any trade," he said, "but we are not actively shopping any of our players, we are not actively looking to trade specific players."

Reyes has just one appearance with the Braves this season and in 12 games (10 starts) for triple-A Gwinnett, he's 1-5 with a 5.70 ERA, 15 walks and 50 strikeouts in 47 1-3 innings.

He was optioned to double-A New Hampshire.

Another intriguing name in the deal is that of Collins.

The 20-year-old is a blogosphere darling who was 1-0 with a 2.51 ERA and nine saves in 35 games for double-A New Hampshire. Signed by former GM J.P. Ricciardi -- who had heard about the summer local league pitcher from his friends in Worcester, Mass. -- he has torn his way through the minors but at just five foot seven and 155 pounds, will always face doubts about his size.

Pastornicky, 20, was batting .258 with 16 doubles, 35 RBIs and 24 stolen bases in 77 games for single-A Dunedin. He was a fifth-round pick in 2008.

"From our standpoint, the plan and the policy and the philosophy has not changed," said Anthopolous. "We continue to try to build at this thing, continue to try to add as many core players as we can for the current team but also going forward, and continue to try to get as much elite talent as we can.

"Along the way, we're going to have to take some chances, we're going to have to take some risks."