Mariners acquire infielder Danny Valencia from Oakland

SEATTLE (AP) The Seattle Mariners have acquired utility player Danny Valencia from the Oakland Athletics for minor league pitcher Paul Blackburn. Valencia

SEATTLE (AP) The Seattle Mariners have acquired utility player Danny Valencia from the Oakland Athletics for minor league pitcher Paul Blackburn.

Valencia played four positions for Oakland last season and hit .287 with 17 home runs and 51 RBIs in 130 games.

Seattle general manager Jerry Dipoto said Saturday that Valencia's ability to play first and third base and left and right field gives manager Scott Servais a ''welcome level of flexibility.''

The 32-year-old Valencia also has played for Minnesota, Boston, Baltimore, Kansas City and Toronto. He's a career .321 hitter against left-handed pitching.

Blackburn, 22, was 9-5 with a 3.27 ERA in 26 games in Double-A last season. Blackburn was acquired by Seattle in July as part of a trade with the Chicago Cubs that sent Mike Montgomery to the Cubs.