TORONTO - When the Detroit Tigers made David Price available, the Toronto Blue Jays jumped at the opportunity to trade for the ace pitcher.

The Blue Jays acquired Price from the Tigers on Thursday for left-handed pitching prospects Daniel Norris, Matt Boyd and Jairo Labourt.

Price, who is set to become a free agent at the end of this season, is an all-star and won the American League Cy Young Award as the top pitcher in 2012. That made him well worth the risk to general manager Alex Anthopoulos.

"That doesn't mean you walk away from him," Anthopoulos said at a news conference at Rogers Centre. "The opportunity to get a No. 1 starter — we haven't had a true No. 1 since Roy Halladay was here."

Price is a bona fide No. 1 starter at the top of a rotation that includes R.A. Dickey, Drew Hutchison, Mark Buehrle and Marco Estrada. His addition comes in the same week Toronto traded for shortstop Troy Tulowitzki and reliever LaTroy Hawkins.

The 29-year-old Price is 9-4 this season with a 2.53 earned-run average. In his major-league career, he's 95-55 with a 3.13 ERA and 1,285 strikeouts in 1,367 1/3 innings.

Price will command a hefty salary this off-season. He's making US$19.75 million in the final year of his contract.

Anthopoulos said was not yet dwelling on the possibility of re-signing Price, which could be a difficult task.

"I think every team in baseball would love to have this guy on their team long term," he said. "We've just got to get in the line."

Price is on rotation to start Sunday, and could start for Toronto at home against the Kansas City Royals. Anthopoulos also left open the possibility of Price starting Monday against the Minnesota Twins.

By getting Tulowitzki, Hawkins and now Price, Anthopoulos took major swings at trying to end the Blue Jays' long playoff drought. Toronto is two games back of Minnesota, which holds second AL wild-card spot.

"If anyone wants to know what it looks like to be all in, check out the Jays," Rays pitcher Chris Archer tweeted.

Anthopoulos, whose contract is up at the end of the season, bristled at the idea of being "all-in" by trading top prospects like Norris for a rental player in Price.

"I really dislike the term," he said. "I totally don't agree with it. I don't believe you ever operate that way. We're always focused on the short- and long-term."

This is the second straight year Price has been traded at the deadline.

The Tigers gave up outfielder Austin Jackson, infielder Willy Adames and starter Drew Smyly last year as part of a three-team deal to get Price.

Blue Jays players reacted with joy to news of Price coming to town. Slugger Jose Bautista reached out to Anthopoulos when he heard about the rumours.

"I did get a text from Jose Bautista with just, 'Is it true?'" Anthopoulos said. "I said yes, and he just wrote yes with about a million exclamation marks."

Other players celebrated on Twitter, with third baseman Josh Donaldson posting: "It's gettin hot up in the six!!" Hawkins tweeted: "Am I dreaming? @DAVIDprice14 can't wait to get you here. Welcome my friend."

Injured pitcher Marcus Stroman found out while in class at Duke University in North Carolina.

"Excitement at an all-time high," Stroman tweeted. "Get to compete and chill with one of my role models in baseball. See you in September my man!"

Stroman also posted a message saying Price "better stay long-term, too."