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Chicago White Sox catcher Tyler Flowers, left, tags out Kansas City Royals' Danny Valencia at home on a throw from Alejandro De Aza, after Valencia tried to score from first on a double by Alcides Escobar, during the fourth inning of a baseball game Monday, July 21, 2014, in Chicago.Charles Rex Arbogast/The Associated Press

It is hardly the blockbuster that many fans were hoping for but the Toronto Blue Jays have made a deal in advance of Thursday's non-waiver Major League Baseball trade deadline.

The Blue Jays have sent backup catcher Erik Kratz and pitcher Liam Hendriks, who were both playing in Triple-A for the Buffalo Bisons, to the Kansas City Royals in exchange for third baseman Danny Valencia.

The deal was officially announced here Monday night in Boston before the Toronto Blue Jays began their three-game series against the Red Sox at Fenway Park.

In Valencia, the Blue Jays are getting a five-year MLB veteran with a career .333 average hitting against left-handed pitching.

With Brett Lawrie, the regular Blue Jays third baseman out for at least a couple weeks more, it is believed that Valencia might be a nice fit in a platoon situation at third base until Lawrie's return.

On the year, Valencia is hitting .282 in jus 36 games with the Royals playing primarily against lefties, his playing time also curtailed by an early season hand injury.

The Blue Jays did not have to give up too much in return.

Kratz, a journeyman catcher, played in 34 games with the Blue Jays this season, hitting .198.

Hendriks made three starts for Toronto earlier this season, going 0-1, allowing nine runs over 13.1 innings for a 6.08 ERA.

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