TORONTO -- Dioner Navarro is returning to the place he called home for the past two seasons.
The Blue Jays acquired the veteran catcher from the White Sox on Friday in exchange for left-handed pitching prospect Colton Turner, reuniting Navarro with the club he played for from 2014-15.
"We just felt like any way we could get incrementally better, we'll look to do it, and then the added experience and time he had with this team is a benefit," Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins said.
"He'll fit right in with the clubhouse. And I think when we told the staff that he would be joining, they were extremely excited about not only what he meant as a catcher, but as a teammate."
Navarro was a fan favorite in his two seasons with the Blue Jays, but he signed a one-year deal with the White Sox in the offseason. The 32-year-old has hit just .210 with six home runs and 32 RBIs in 85 games this season, after hitting a combined .267 with 17 home runs and 89 RBIs in Toronto.
The Blue Jays currently have two catchers on their roster -- starter Russell Martin and backup Josh Thole -- and Navarro provides additional flexibility as a switch-hitter off the bench in Toronto's chase of a second consecutive division title.
Navarro served as Marco Estrada's personal catcher during his first stint with the team, and while Atkins acknowledged the relationship between the two, the Blue Jays' GM added that Martin will continue to see a majority of the reps behind the plate.
"Obviously, Russell Martin is a very good catcher and hard to take out of the lineup, but this just adds depth and another resource for [manager John Gibbons]," Atkins said.
Navarro is expected to report to the team for Monday's series opener in Baltimore, and the Blue Jays will have to clear a roster spot for the 13-year veteran. Atkins spoke on the phone with Navarro after the deal and said he "could see the smile through the phone."
Turner, a 21st-round pick by Toronto in the 2012 Draft, has split this season between three levels, reaching Double-A New Hampshire, where he has posted a 5.23 ERA over nine relief appearances. Before his promotion, he allowed only two runs over 43 2/3 innings between Class A Lansing and Class A Advanced Dunedin. According to MLBPipeline, Turner was not ranked among the Blue Jays' top 30 prospects.