The Toronto Blue Jays have Traded Santiago Espinal to the Cincinnati Reds

Santiago was acquired by the Blue Jays from Boston in exchange for Steve Pearce who would go on to win World Series MVP later that season.

Santiago spent his first couple years in the minor leagues before officially making his debut with the Jays in 2020.

Espinal made his debut in Major League Baseball on July 25, 2020. It only took him 3 days in the Major League to get his first hit against the Washington Nationals. Throughout his time with the 2020 season, Espinal maintained a batting average of .267. Although he didn't hit any home runs during this period, he did contribute 6 RBIs across 26 games.

Transitioning into 2021, on July 3, Espinal marked another milestone by hitting his first career major league home run, a huge two-run shot against Tampa Bay Rays reliever Matt Wisler. His performance during the 2021 season stood out, showcasing a batting average of .311/.376/.405 with 2 home runs, 17 RBIs, and 6 stolen bases in 92 games. Among all qualifying AL third basemen, Espinal led with 16 total zone runs and a 3.13 range factor.

At the start of the 2022 season, Espinal was initially set to share playing time at second base with Cavan Biggio. However, by mid-May, Espinal play was at an all-time high while Biggio struggled, resulting in his demotion to the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons after a 1-for-23 performance in 13 games with Toronto. Espinal's outstanding contributions earned him a spot in the 2022 All-Star Game as a replacement for José Altuve.

Looking ahead, on January 13, 2023, Espinal secured a lucrative one-year, $2.1 million contract with the Blue Jays, avoiding salary arbitration. Despite playing 93 games for the Blue Jays that season, his batting statistics experienced a slight dip, recording .248/.310/.335 with two home runs and 25 RBIs.