The Blue Jays needed to make a few decisions in advance of the Rule 5 draft, and they moved two new players to their 40-man roster to make sure they were protected. Those two were RHP Thomas Hatch, and minor infielder Santiago Espinal.
The Blue Jays acquired Hatch last July when they sent David Phelps to the Chicago Cubs, and there should be no surprise that he’s been protected. In Espinal’s case, it’s not surprising either, but it also means there’s a good chance that he’ll have a legitimate shot at making the Opening Day roster in 2020.