José 'Heartthrob' Leyva
When the Blazers saw Leyva hit waivers last week, they immediately put in a claim. They didn't need a center fielder, but they still liked Leyva. Concerned that a team with a higher priority would claim him, Montreal negotiated a trade with Calgary to guarantee they'd finally get their man, giving up 21-year-old shortstop prospect Herkko Siilasvuo.
Herkko Siilasvuo
When Leyva arrived in Montreal, they explained to him that he would be assigned to AAA New Jersey, but that he would be the next man up when the inevitable injury hit the big league club. Leyva balked. Because he has over five years of major league service time, he could refuse assignment to the minors. The Blazers tried to persuade him that it would work out, but Leyva wanted no part of the bus rides of his youth. Montreal had another week before the DFA deadline forced their hand, so they decided to stall.
Unfortunately for Montreal, the injury occurred only days later. Rincon suffered a bone bruise on his wrist that put him out of the lineup for three weeks. Fortunately for Montreal, they now had a roster spot for Leyva. He hit the ground running, hitting .312 in his first four games for his new team.
When asked what their plans were for when Rincon returned, Montreal's spokesperson deflected the question, simply stating that they were very lucky to have three solid center fielders.
