The Blue Jays acquired infielder Darwin Barney from the Dodgers in exchange for minor-league catcher Jack Murphy, according to a team announcement. Barney will not be eligible for the postseason but will give the Jays depth for the rest of the season.
Although Barney spent three full major league seasons with the Cubs, his inability to get on base consistently ultimately encouraged the Dodgers to move on. At 29, he has only appeared in two major league contests with the Dodgers but is batting .277/.325/.354 to complement four home runs and 31 RBIs through 96 Triple-A games. Over parts of six career major league seasons, Barney is batting .245.
While he sometimes struggles to produce offensively, Barney is a solid defensive second baseman. He won the National League Gold Glove in 2012 and also has a notable amount of experience at shortstop. The Blue Jays could use Barney throughout the infield, although he might receive a handful of starts at shortstop as a result of an injury to Troy Tulowitzki.
Even though Barney cannot play with the Blue Jays in the postseason, he should be able to help them get there. At the very least, his defensive skill set will likely prove to be valuable.
Murphy, 27, has spent the entire season with Double-A New Hampshire, hitting .220/.309/.315 with three homers in 85 games. He was the Jays' 31st-round pick in 2009.