Reason to Love Toronto: because the Blue Jays made a blockbuster trade

In a city whose sports scene has long been plagued with mediocrity, big, bold moves matter—not only to instantly improve a struggling team’s fortunes but also to let suffering fans know that somebody actually cares. That’s why we love Alex Anthopolous’s mega deal. On Tuesday night, the Toronto Blue Jays general manager made one of the biggest trades in the franchise history, a double-digit player super-swap that brings to Toronto, among others, starting pitchers Josh Johnson and Mark Buehrle, former Jay catcher (and fan favourite) John Buck and, the coup de grace, superstar shortstop Jose Reyes, all from the Miami Marlins. Anthopoulos always said he would spend big money when the timing was right, and now he’s made good on his promise. It’s the kind of deal upon which a manager stakes his entire career. If Reyes and co. deliver, Anthopolous will be celebrated around the city as a veritable wunderkind. If they don’t, his corporate overlords will surely cut the young GM’s tenure short. When he heard the news, Blue Jays all-star slugger Jose Bautista excitedly tweeted, “It’s a good day to be a bluejay!” At long last, it’s a good day to be a Toronto sports fan, too.