Longest-tenured Jays player in Danny Jansen heading to rival Red Sox

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The changing of the guard for the Blue Jays picked up steam on Saturday with catcher Danny Jansen and pitcher Nate Pearson begin traded away.

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More change awaits as the clock ticks for Tuesday’s 6 p.m. MLB trade deadline.

Jansen, the team’s longest tenured player, was sent to the AL East rival Boston Red Sox for minor-league infielders Cutter Coffey and Eddinson Paulino, as well as right-hander Gilberto Batista.

Pearson, a 2017 first-round pick of the Jays who never did catch on as a starter, was shipped to the Chicago Cubs earlier in the day for two more prospects — outfielder Yohendrick Pinango and shortstop Josh Rivera.

Word of Jansen’s move to Beantown began to filter in the late innings of Saturday’s 7-3 win over the visiting Texas Rangers.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. suddenly emerges as the grey beard on the Jays roster, at least in terms of tenure. Jansen had been with the Jays organization since 2013, and with the big-league club the past seven years.

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Post-game as Jansen mingled with family on the field, the Jays’ ground crew gave him a rousing ovation, which seems only right given all the veteran has meant to the many people he touched.

Jansen has been struggling at the plate for an extended stretch, but his skills behind it are indisputable.

In Boston, his ability to pull the ball should play well knowing the Green Monster isn’t going to be replaced any time soon.

At his peak, Jansen would turn on pitches when he wasn’t getting hit by them … and by injuries.

“It’s a lot of mixed emotions,” Jansen told Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi. “I grew up here. Became a man here. Raised a family.
“It’s just a whole lot of emotions.”

Jansen recently returned from the paternity list.

Catching depth became an organizational issue the moment the Jays traded top prospect Gabriel Moreno to Arizona. Alejandro Kirk is the only true major-leaguer, a former all-star, in fact, but he has his own set of issues and is incapable of starting games for a prolonged period.

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Brian Serven, meanwhile, was pulled by the triple-A Buffalo Bisons, indicating the big-league club was poised to recall the light-hitting veteran.

Blue Jays manager John Schneider has a long history with Jansen, who was a teenager when the two first met.

“He’s like my third kid,’’ said Schneider of Jansen. “He’s like my third son.”

Time ran out on Pearson, who lacked control on far too many nights and would often get hit hard and carries a career ERA of 5.21 to the Windy City.

Pearson, 27, won’t be a free agent until after the 2026 season.

Three down with more to come, perhaps as early as Sunday when the Jays go for a rare sweep.

As with the earlier trade involving Yimi Garcia, who was dealt to Seattle on Friday, the Jays are loading up on prospects in hopes of adding to a farm system that has grown thin, made even thinner following injuries, the latest involving No. 1 pitching prospect Ricky Tiedemann, who will undergo full Tommy John surgery next Tuesday and won’t pitch until 2026.

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It’s expected Yusei Kikuchi, who was emotional following Friday night’s start knowing it was likely his last as a Blue Jay, could be dealt Sunday.

Veteran infielder Justin Turner and struggling reliever Trevor Richards could follow soon after.

Centre fielder Kevin Kiermaier may also be on that short list, but has announced he will retire once the season is completed. However, he can still play centre field like no other and would make an ideal defensive late-game replacement for any contending team.

While he still has one year remaining on his contract beyond this season, Chad Green has been bandied about in trade rumours with his former employer, the New York Yankees, linked to the relief pitcher who is by far the best remaining arm in Toronto’s bullpen.

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No need for any relief Saturday as veteran Kevin Gausman pitched his second complete game of the season and the third of his career.

Guerrero, Kirk and Turner all had three-hit games to lead the Jays offence against the Rangers, while Daulton Varsho got things going with a three-run homer in the first inning and four RBIs on the game.

Two trades and one win on the same day, a theme that could play out in any of the three games leading up to 6 p.m., on Tuesday.

Following Sunday’s matinee, the Jays will head to Baltimore where a doubleheader is scheduled for Monday.

It remains to be seen which player or players will not be on the Jays’ charter.

fzicarelli@postmedia.com

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