Blue Jays trade veteran bat Justin Turner to Mariners

BALTIMORE — The Blue Jays, among the busiest sellers at the deadline, are trading veteran Justin Turner to the Seattle Mariners, a league source told The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal.

The Blue Jays are receiving 24-year-old outfielder RJ Schreck in return, according to multiple reports from Sportsnet and The Seattle Times.

With Turner on the move, the Blue Jays have now traded four players, including relievers Nate Pearson (Cubs) and Yimi García (Mariners) as well as catcher Danny Jansen (Red Sox). The club is expected to remain busy through Tuesday’s 6 p.m. deadline, with starter Yusei Kikuchi among their best remaining trade candidates.

Turner started at first base in the first game of a doubleheader against the Baltimore Orioles on Monday. He singled in the first inning but was removed before the bottom of the second inning.

Turner has had an uneven year for the Blue Jays, who signed him to a one-year, $13 million deal before the season. He’s batting .257/.351/.373 in 90 games this year, but his performance has been characterized by peaks and valleys.

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He was red-hot in April (.887 OPS) and June (.903 OPS) and then struggled in May (.349 OPS) and most of July (.668 OPS), although he is 14-for-27 in his past seven games.

The Mariners, who have struggled offensively this season and are in the tight battle to win the AL West, could use offence and experience from a veteran like Turner. The 39-year-old has played in the postseason nine times — all with the Los Angeles Dodgers — and knows what it takes to make a deep playoff run.

He’s not quite an impact bat at this point, but he’s a complementary piece who should be a steady presence in the lineup and take quality at-bats. Defensively, he’s limited to DH and first-base duty, but with Ty France traded, that’s a fine fit for the Mariners.

(Photo of Justin Turner: Brian Bradshaw Sevald / USA Today)