MLB: Toronto Blue Jays acquire IF Danny Valencia from Royals

With the non-waiver trade deadline on Thursday, the Toronto Blue Jays made a minor deal Monday to acquire some infield depth.

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According to HardballTalk.com, the Blue Jays have acquired infielder Danny Valencia from the Kansas City Royals in exchange for catcher Erik Kratz and right-hander Liam Hendriks.

Valencia, 29, missed some time earlier this season with a hand injury and has played only 36 games for the Royals.

He is hitting .282/.328/.382 in 119 plate appearances, with two home runs and 11 RBI, seeing time at both third base and second base.

Kratz, 34, has hit just .198/.226/.346 in his first season for the Blue Jays, with three homers and 10 RBI in 34 games. He did hit 18 homers the last two seasons as a backup with the Philadelphia Phillies.

Hendriks, 25, made three starts for the Blue Jays this season, going 1-0 with a 6.08 ERA and 1.200 WHIP in 13.1 innings and coughing up three home runs.

He is 8-1 with a 2.33 ERA and 0.914 WHIP in 18 appearances, 16 of them starts, at Triple-A Buffalo.

Valencia was acquired by Kansas City last December in a trade with the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for outfielder David Lough.

While not a huge addition for the Blue Jays, he should provide them with some infield depth and an option while third baseman Brett Lawrie rehabs a broken finger that has had him sidelined since June 22.

Toronto entered the night three games behind the Orioles in the AL East and currently holds the second AL wild card spot.

Kansas City is five games behind the Detroit Tigers in the AL Central and two games behind the Blue Jays in the wild card hunt.

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MLB: Toronto Blue Jays acquire IF Danny Valencia from Kansas City Royals

By Phil Watson | Jul 28, 2014