The St. Louis Cardinals and Toronto Blue Jays exchange former All-Star third basemen who have battled injuries in recent years. St. Louis gets Troy Glaus and Toronto Scott Rolen.

This Day In Baseball

On January 14 2008 — in a trade of two of the game’s best third basemen, the St. Louis Cardinals shipped Scott Rolen to the Toronto Blue Jays for Troy Glaus. Both had been terrific in 2006, but endured less-productive, injury-riddled seasons in 2007.

After a .252-38-104 performance in ’06 with the Jays, Glaus battled a foot injury that resulted in season-ending surgery in September. He finished with 20 homers and 62 RBIs in 115 games. Rolen delivered a .296-22-95 season in ’06, but an old shoulder injury flared up late in the year and lingered throughout the ’07 campaign. With his power compromised, he finished with just 24 doubles and eight homers in 112 games.

The 31-year-old Glaus had the better season with his new team in 2008, batting .270 with 27 homers and 99 RBIs for the Cardinals. But shoulder surgery sabotaged his 2009 season and knee issues in 2010 soon led to retirement not long after at age 34. The 32-year-old Rolen, who had asked to be traded after feuding with Cardinals manager Tony La Russa, battled the injury bug again in 2008. He broke a finger in spring camp, delaying his Jays debut, then was lost for the remainder of the season in August.

Injuries continued to be an issue for Rolen, though he enjoyed a decent rebound in 2009 before having one last Rolen-like season with the Reds in 2010 at age 35. He hit .285/.358/.497 with 20 homers and 83 RBIs. He retired following the 2012 season with 316 homers, eight Gold Gloves and a batting line of .281/.364/.490 in 17 seasons. The NL Rookie of the Year with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1997, Rolen finished with 70.1 bWAR, placing him among the top 15 third baseman of all time.