Troy Tulowitzki, LaTroy Hawkins acquired by Blue Jays for Jose Reyes, 3 minor leaguers

The Toronto Blue Jays have picked up shortstop Troy Tulowitzki and relief pitcher LaTroy Hawkins from Colorado for shortstop Jose Reyes and pitching prospects Miguel Castro, Jeff Hoffman and Jesus Tinoco. 

Baseball's non-waiver trade deadline is Friday at 4 p.m. ET.

The talented but oft-injured Tulowitzki is a five-time all-star who is hitting .300 with 12 homers and 53 RBIs in 87 games this season. He has spent his entire 10-year MLB career with Colorado.

Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos said the chance to acquire a player of Tulowitzki's calibre was too good to pass up, even if it meant once again losing some top prospects.

"We're always focused on the short and the long-term and we felt that an acquisition like this would address both," Anthopoulos said.

We weren't too thrilled about trading some of our better prospects, as we did in this deal, for rentals. That's not to say we're out of the rental market ... but it's a rare opportunity to get better.- Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos

Anthopoulos has never been afraid to dip into the Jays' pool of prospects when making trades. Noah Syndergaard, Travis d'Arnaud and Adeiny Hechavarria are a few of the up-and-coming players Anthopoulos has dealt for veterans with hefty contracts.

Toronto's commitment to Tulowitzki is significant, and not just in the assets lost. Tulowitzki in the second year of a seven-year deal worth a guaranteed $132 million US that runs through 2020. The deal included a $14 million team option for 2021 with a $4 million buyout.

"We weren't too thrilled about trading some of our better prospects, as we did in this deal, for rentals," he said. "That's not to say we're out of the rental market … but it's a rare opportunity to get better."

Tulowitzki was replaced on defence in the bottom of the ninth inning during Colorado's 9-8 loss to the Cubs in Chicago on Monday night. After the game, the slugger spent at least 30 minutes in manager Walt Weiss' office at Wrigley Field, but was unavailable to reporters.

The deal gives Toronto (50-50) another powerful, right-handed bat in a dangerous lineup that includes Jose Bautista, Josh Donaldson, Edwin Encarnacion and Russell Martin.

Tremendous player. Sometimes you're surprised when you have a guy like Tulo who's so iconic in Colorado.- Giants manager Bruce Bochy on Troy Tulowitzki

"We're getting the best shortstop in baseball in our minds, and those opportunities just don't present themselves," Anthopoulos said.

The face of Colorado's franchise, Tulowitzki has spent his entire career with the Rockies (42-55) but has been the subject of trade talk for some time. Still, the Blue Jays seemed an unlikely destination.

"Tremendous player," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said in San Francisco. "Sometimes you're surprised when you have a guy like Tulo who's so iconic in Colorado."

There's no doubting the hitting prowess of the six-foot-three Tulowitzki. Staying healthy has been his biggest challenge. During his career, he's had stints on the disabled list for a quadriceps tendon tear, lacerated right hand, broken left wrist and a groin injury.

Last season, Tulowitzki played only 91 games before undergoing hip surgery. This year, he's been injury free, with manager Walt Weiss resting him on occasion to save wear and tear.

He's had an injury free season this year, with Weiss resting him on occasion to save wear and tear. Tulowitzki was out of the lineup Sunday, which would've been his last appearance at Coors Field in a Rockies uniform.

Asked about Friday's non-waiver trade deadline before leaving town, Tulowitzki responded: "I don't worry about it. I've been through it multiple times. My job is to play for the Rockies. I signed up to play here for a long time. Until they tell me differently, which they haven't, I plan on being here."

In 69 games this year, Reyes has four home runs and 34 runs batted in to go along with a .285 average. He was acquired by Toronto in a 2012 blockbuster trade with the Miami Marlins.

The speedy Reyes is signed through 2017 on a $106 million, six-year contract he received from Miami. A four-time all-star with the New York Mets, Reyes also has struggled with injuries throughout his career.

​The 42-year-old Hawkins is 2-1 with a 3.63 ERA in 24 games.

Miguel Castro, who emerged as the Blue Jays' closer in April at age 20, was sent to triple-A Buffalo in early May.

Castro, who did not allow a run over his first six outings, yielded six runs on 12 hits in his final seven games with Toronto covering six innings. He had a 4.38 ERA in 13 appearances, striking out 12 in 12 1/3 innings.

In 13 games (five starts) with Buffalo, Castro sported a 4.58 ERA along with 12 walks and 21 strikeouts in 19.2 innings.

Hoffman, 22, has worked his way back from Tommy John surgery. In 67 2/3 innings this season, mostly at High-A, he had a 2.93 ERA.

The 20-year-old Tinoco, who possesses an upper-90s fastball, had a 3.54 ERA over 81 1/3 innings at the Class A level this season, fanning 7.5 batters per nin innings.