Sometimes, trades benefit both teams.

In last week’s Throwback Thursday, we looked at<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/throwback-thursday-looking-at-edwin-encarnacions-walk-off-home-run-against-the-orioles-in-the-2016-al-wild-card-game"> Edwin Encarnación’s walk-off home run</a> in the 2016 American League Wild Card game against the Baltimore Orioles. The Jays faced another American League East team this Thursday, the Boston Red Sox. 
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We&#8217;ll look at the Steve Pearce trade from 2018 in this week&#8217;s Throwback Thursday! Let&#8217;s dig in.
<h2>Steve Pearce’s tenure as Blue Jay</h2>
In late 2016, the Blue Jays signed Pearce to a two-year, $12.5 million deal with the Blue Jays. The 2017 season was an average one for the first baseman, as he slashed .252/.319/.438 with 13 home runs in 348 plate appearances with a 100 wRC+ and a 0 fWAR. His most memorable moment in 2017 was hitting an “ultimate grand slam”, a walk-off grand slam that erases a three-run deficit. He was the 29th hitter to hit one and there have only been 32 in big league history.
<div class="jetpack-video-wrapper"><iframe loading="lazy" title="Pearce hits walk-off grand slam in the 9th" width="1424" height="801" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SG-2oxTEygo?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
Coming into the 2018 season, it was clear that the Blue Jays were on the cusp of a rebuild. Pearce was one player who was going to be traded but the question was for how much? Well, he had a great start to the 2018 season, slashing .291/.349/.519 with four home runs in 86 plate appearances but he missed six weeks due to an oblique injury.
The Blue Jays traded Pearce on Jun. 28, 2018, to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for Santiago Espinal and some cash. This was the most recent trade between the two American League East rivals until the Danny Jansen trade before the 2024 trade deadline. It’s safe to say it worked for both teams.
<h2>Steve Pearce’s tenure as Red Sox</h2>
Pearce picked up where he left off, slashing .279/.394/.507 with seven home runs in 165 plate appearances for a 143 wRC+ and a 1.3 fWAR with the Red Sox. He helped them make the post-season where the Red Sox got their money’s worth.
After an injury to Mitch Moreland, Pearce became the Red Sox’s everyday first baseman shortly into the American League Divisional Series. In turn, he slashed .289/.426/.658 with four home runs in 47 plate appearances for a 187 wRC+. One of those home runs came off former Blue Jay reliever, Joe Smith, who they traded at the trade deadline the season before.
The other three home runs came in the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, a series which Pearce slashed .333/.500/1.167 and even won the World Series MVP. Two of those home runs came in the deciding Game 5, a game which the Red Sox won 5-1.
Pearce re-signed with the Red Sox for the 2019 season, slashing .180/.245/.258 with one home run in 99 plate appearances for a 29 wRC+. However, he missed the majority of the season due to injuries and retired in April 2020.
Still, it was a pretty good trade for the Red Sox as Pearce helped them win the World Series. But what about the return for the Blue Jays?
<h2>Santiago Espinal’s tenure as a Blue Jay</h2>
Espinal spent the rest of the 2018 season in the minor leagues, the same as the 2019 season. He made his big league debut in 2020, slashing .267/.308/.333 with no home runs in 66 plate appearances with a 0.3 fWAR.
Due to injury, he got a longer look in 2021, slashing .311/.376/.405 with two home runs in 246 plate appearances for a 115 wRC+ and a 1.9 fWAR. On top of that, he became the Blue Jays&#8217; everyday third baseman while providing strong defence at the hot corner (8 Defensive Runs Saved, 5 Outs Above Average).
After acquiring Matt Chapman before the start of the 2022 season, Espinal became the Blue Jays’ everyday second baseman in 2022, slashing .267/.322/.370 with seven home runs in 491 plate appearances, finishing the year with a 100 wRC+ and a 2.4 fWAR. He also earned a spot on the All-Star team that season.
Unfortunately, Espinal’s play regressed in 2023, slashing .248/.310/.335 with two home runs in 254 plate appearances for an 80 wRC+ and a 0 fWAR as he returned to a utility role. Before the 2024 season, the Blue Jays traded him to the Cincinnati Reds for pitching prospect Chris McElvain.
All in all, it was a good trade for both teams, as the Blue Jays traded a rental in Steve Pearce for a player who represented the team at the All-Star game and helped them nearly make the post-season in 2021.
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Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Blue Jays Nation, Oilersnation, and FlamesNation. They can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.
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Sometimes, trades benefit both teams.



In last week’s Throwback Thursday, we looked at<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/throwback-thursday-looking-at-edwin-encarnacions-walk-off-home-run-against-the-orioles-in-the-2016-al-wild-card-game"> Edwin Encarnación’s walk-off home run</a> in the 2016 American League Wild Card game against the Baltimore Orioles. The Jays faced another American League East team this Thursday, the Boston Red Sox. 
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We'll look at the Steve Pearce trade from 2018 in this week's Throwback Thursday! Let's dig in.
<h2>Steve Pearce’s tenure as Blue Jay</h2>
In late 2016, the Blue Jays signed Pearce to a two-year, $12.5 million deal with the Blue Jays. The 2017 season was an average one for the first baseman, as he slashed .252/.319/.438 with 13 home runs in 348 plate appearances with a 100 wRC+ and a 0 fWAR. His most memorable moment in 2017 was hitting an “ultimate grand slam”, a walk-off grand slam that erases a three-run deficit. He was the 29th hitter to hit one and there have only been 32 in big league history.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SG-2oxTEygo&amp;ab_channel=MLB

Coming into the 2018 season, it was clear that the Blue Jays were on the cusp of a rebuild. Pearce was one player who was going to be traded but the question was for how much? Well, he had a great start to the 2018 season, slashing .291/.349/.519 with four home runs in 86 plate appearances but he missed six weeks due to an oblique injury.

The Blue Jays traded Pearce on Jun. 28, 2018, to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for Santiago Espinal and some cash. This was the most recent trade between the two American League East rivals until the Danny Jansen trade before the 2024 trade deadline. It’s safe to say it worked for both teams.
<h2>Steve Pearce’s tenure as Red Sox</h2>
Pearce picked up where he left off, slashing .279/.394/.507 with seven home runs in 165 plate appearances for a 143 wRC+ and a 1.3 fWAR with the Red Sox. He helped them make the post-season where the Red Sox got their money’s worth.

After an injury to Mitch Moreland, Pearce became the Red Sox’s everyday first baseman shortly into the American League Divisional Series. In turn, he slashed .289/.426/.658 with four home runs in 47 plate appearances for a 187 wRC+. One of those home runs came off former Blue Jay reliever, Joe Smith, who they traded at the trade deadline the season before.

The other three home runs came in the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, a series which Pearce slashed .333/.500/1.167 and even won the World Series MVP. Two of those home runs came in the deciding Game 5, a game which the Red Sox won 5-1.

Pearce re-signed with the Red Sox for the 2019 season, slashing .180/.245/.258 with one home run in 99 plate appearances for a 29 wRC+. However, he missed the majority of the season due to injuries and retired in April 2020.

Still, it was a pretty good trade for the Red Sox as Pearce helped them win the World Series. But what about the return for the Blue Jays?
<h2>Santiago Espinal’s tenure as a Blue Jay</h2>
Espinal spent the rest of the 2018 season in the minor leagues, the same as the 2019 season. He made his big league debut in 2020, slashing .267/.308/.333 with no home runs in 66 plate appearances with a 0.3 fWAR.

Due to injury, he got a longer look in 2021, slashing .311/.376/.405 with two home runs in 246 plate appearances for a 115 wRC+ and a 1.9 fWAR. On top of that, he became the Blue Jays' everyday third baseman while providing strong defence at the hot corner (8 Defensive Runs Saved, 5 Outs Above Average).

After acquiring Matt Chapman before the start of the 2022 season, Espinal became the Blue Jays’ everyday second baseman in 2022, slashing .267/.322/.370 with seven home runs in 491 plate appearances, finishing the year with a 100 wRC+ and a 2.4 fWAR. He also earned a spot on the All-Star team that season.

Unfortunately, Espinal’s play regressed in 2023, slashing .248/.310/.335 with two home runs in 254 plate appearances for an 80 wRC+ and a 0 fWAR as he returned to a utility role. Before the 2024 season, the Blue Jays traded him to the Cincinnati Reds for pitching prospect Chris McElvain.

All in all, it was a good trade for both teams, as the Blue Jays traded a rental in Steve Pearce for a player who represented the team at the All-Star game and helped them nearly make the post-season in 2021.

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Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Blue Jays Nation, Oilersnation, and FlamesNation. They can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.

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