The San Diego Padres today announced they have acquired outfielder Jon Jay from the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for infielder Jedd Gyorko and cash considerations. Executive Vice President/General Manager A.J. Preller made the announcement.
Jay, 30, hit .210 (44-210) with seven extra-base hits, 10 RBI and 25 runs scored in 79 games played for St. Louis this past season, missing time with a pair of stints on the 15-day disabled list. The left-handed hitter began the season by hitting .261 (18-69) over his first 20 games in April. Originally signed by the St. Louis Cardinals as a second-round selection in the 2006 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Miami, he has hit .287 (676-2356) with 113 doubles, 14 triples, 29 home runs, 227 RBI and 325 runs scored in 757 games played over parts of six Major League seasons (2010-15) with St. Louis. The outfielder has made 475 of his 584 Major League starts in center field, 85 in right field and 24 in left field. Over the previous four seasons from 2011-14 he posted a .915 zone rating in center field, the third-best mark over that span among qualified center fielders behind Mike Trout (.924) and Carlos Gomez (.923).
Gyorko, 27, hit .247 (104-421) with 15 doubles, 16 home runs, 57 RBI and 34 runs scored in 128 games for the Padres in 2015. The infielder also played 16 games for Triple-A El Paso last season on a minor league assignment. Gyorko was originally signed by the Padres as a second-round selection in the 2010 First-Year Player Draft out of West Virginia University. Over parts of three Major League seasons with the Padres (2013-15), he has hit .236 (309-1307) with 58 doubles, one triple, 49 home runs, 171 RBI and 133 runs scored in 364 games played.
