Blue Jays trade Turner to Mariners, Kikuchi to Astros as deadline approaches

The Toronto Blue Jays were busy on Monday night, trading veteran infielder/designated hitter Justin Turner and cash considerations to the Seattle Mariners, and reportedly later moving pitcher Yusei Kikuchi to the Houston Astros.

Seattle sent 24-year-old minor league outfield prospect RJ Schreck back to the Jays, while ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported Kikuchi’s departure would return right-hander Jake Bloss, first baseman/outfielder Joey Loperfido and infielder Will Wagner, the son of former Houston great Billy Wagner.

Turner, 39, signed with Toronto for one season at $13 million US back in January.

But despite high hopes coming into 2024, the disappointing Jays are sellers ahead of Tuesday’s 6 p.m. trade deadline.

Bloss was scratched from his scheduled start against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday before news of the trade broke. Fellow right-hander Tayler Scott got the nod instead.

The 33-year-old Kikuchi went 4-9 with a 4.75 ERA across 22 starts with the Blue Jays this season.

Loperfido, 25, broke into the majors earlier this season but struggled to find consistency. At the time of his call-up, Loperfido was ranked as Houston’s 6th-best prospect, according to MLB.com.

Bloss, 23, was Houston’s No. 9 prospect. He is in his rookie season and was 0-1 with a 6.94 ERA in three starts for the Astros, one in June and two in July. Wagner, 26, is in triple-A and was ranked as the 13th prospect in the Astros’ system.

Toronto had previously shipped reliever Yimi Garcia to the Mariners, catcher Danny Jansen to the Boston Red Sox and reliever Nate Pearson to the Chicago Cubs in recent days.

Entering play Monday, Turner was batting .257 with six home runs and 31 RBIs in 90 games this season.

Cards add Fedde, Pham in 3-team trade

The St. Louis Cardinals acquired right-hander Erick Fedde and outfielder Tommy Pham on Monday as part of a three-team trade that also moved hard-throwing reliever Michael Kopech to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

A person familiar with the situation confirmed the deal to the AP on condition of anonymity because the trade had not been announced by the teams.

St. Louis got Fedde and Pham from the lowly Chicago White Sox, who also sent Kopech to the Dodgers. The NL West leaders also acquired utilityman Tommy Edman from the Cardinals. The White Sox received infield prospects Miguel Vargas, Alexander Albertus and Jeral Perez from the Dodgers

Royals acquire Lorenzen from Rangers

The Kansas City Royals acquired right-hander Michael Lorenzen from the Texas Rangers on Monday in exchange for left-hander Walter Pennington.

Lorenzen, 32, is 5-6 with a 3.81 ERA in 19 games (18 starts) in his first season with the Rangers.

Pennington, 26, made his major league debut for the Royals on July 5 at Colorado and retired both batters he faced with one strikeout.

Since joining the Kansas City organization in 2021, he is 22-11 with a 3.54 ERA in 147 games (four starts) in the minor leagues. Pennington has struck out 255 batters and walked 100 in 241 1/3 innings.

Dodgers deal Vanasco to Tigers for cash

The Los Angeles Dodgers traded right-hander Ricky Vanasco to the Detroit Tigers on Monday in exchange for cash considerations.

Vanasco, 25, made his major league debut on April 15 and appeared in two games out of the Dodgers’ bullpen. He allowed three runs on three hits in two innings, posting a 13.50 ERA with one strikeout.