Former Red Sox slugger Justin Turner’s brief stint with the Blue Jays has reportedly come to an end, according to several sources.
The Mariners reportedly agreed to acquire the veteran infielder for Double-A outfielder RJ Schreck, according to Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi.
Turner was pulled from the Blue Jays’ game against the Baltimore Orioles after one plate appearance, per Davidi. Turner singled in the first inning, but the Orioles held a 5-0 lead in the fourth inning.
The 39-year-old is batting .257/.351/.373 with six home runs and 31 RBIs in 347 plate appearances. Even though his power output isn’t what it was from his peak years, the ability to get on base at a decent clip makes him valuable for a playoff contender. Turner slashed .343/.465/.449 in 22 games in June, walking 15 times against 13 strikeouts.
Although Turner has mostly been used as a designated hitter and first baseman for the Blue Jays this season, he has seen time at both second and third base in his career. The two-time All-Star signed with Toronto prior to this season for $13 million. He batted .276 with 23 home runs and a career-high 96 RBIs with the Boston Red Sox in 2023 after spending his previous nine seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Mariners are at Fenway Park for a three-game series with the Red Sox beginning Monday night. With the Blue Jays in Baltimore, Boston could face its former teammate over the next couple of days.
Schreck is the No. 29 prospect in the Mariners organization, according to MLB.com. He was promoted to Double-A Arkansas on July 19. In 86 games between stints with Single-A Everett and Arkansas, Schreck is slashing .250/.392/.444 with 21 doubles, 12 home runs, 45 RBIs, 61 walks and 54 strikeouts.
