ROYALS
Paredes traded for cash
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Kansas City Royals have traded infielder/outfielder Jimmy Paredes to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for cash considerations.
Paredes, 25, was designated for assignment July 16 when the Royals acquired right-handed pitcher Jason Frasor.
Paredes joined Kansas City on Feb. 17, claimed off waivers from the Orioles. He played in nine games for the Royals this season with 2 hits in 10 at-bats along with 2 steals and 3 runs scored. The switch-hitter was batting .305 with 5 home runs and 36 RBI at Class AAA Omaha.
TIGERS
RHP Soria picked up
DETROIT -- Dave Dombrowski, the Detroit Tigers' president and general manager, said it was a necessity to bolster the team's bullpen.
The Tigers acquired right-hander Joakim Soria, giving them an option to pitch in the seventh, eighth or ninth inning as soon as Thursday night on the road against the Los Angeles Angels.
The Tigers traded pitching prospects Corey Knebel and Jake Thompson to the Texas Rangers to acquire Soria.
Dombrowski has been working on improving the American League Central-leading Tigers for weeks. He said reliever Joe Nathan and second baseman Ian Kinsler were asked about Soria as a player and person because they were teammates in Texas. The first-year Tigers gave Soria a good review on and off the field.
RANGERS
Williams starts tonight
NEW YORK -- The pitching-poor Texas Rangers plan to add right-hander Jerome Williams and will start him tonight against American League West-leading Oakland.
The Rangers announced after Thursday's 4-2 loss to the New York Yankees that they would purchase Williams' contract from Class AAA Round Rock.
Williams, 32, was released by Houston earlier this month after going 1-4 with a 6.04 ERA in 26 relief appearances. He signed with Texas and went 0-1 with a 6.10 ERA in 2 starts at Class AAA.
Williams is 43-51 with a 4.45 ERA in 9 seasons with San Francisco, the Cubs, Washington, the Angels and Astros.
Texas has a 4.84 ERA, the highest in the American League and almost a half-run over anyone else in the league.
The Rangers have the worst record in the majors and set a major-league record by using 30 pitchers before the All-Star break. They have already tied a team mark for most pitchers in a season, and they added another newcomer to the roster before Thursday's game by promoting reliever Nate Adcock from Class AAA.
Adcock promoted
The Rangers have promoted right-handed reliever Nate Adcock from the minors, a day after trading closer Joakim Soria to the Detroit Tigers.
Adcock joined the team for Thursday's game against the New York Yankees.
Adcock, 26, was 1-0 with 1 save and a 2.76 ERA in 13 games at Class AAA Round Rock.
Adcock pitched 36 games for Kansas City in 2011 and 2012 and signed with Texas in the offseason. He had a rib removed this spring in surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome, a nerve problem that was causing numbness in his right arm and hand.
Rangers Manager Ron Washington said Adcock can be brought in to pitch multiple innings.
Texas traded Soria to the Tigers on Wednesday night for two young pitchers. To make room, first baseman Mitch Moreland was put on the 60-day disabled list. He had season-ending surgery on his left ankle last month.
TWINS
Morales reacquired
MINNEAPOLIS -- The Seattle Mariners have reacquired first baseman Kendrys Morales in a trade with the Minnesota Twins for minor-league pitcher Stephen Pryor.
The deal was done Thursday.
Morales spent under seven weeks with the Twins, who signed him to boost their lineup as a designated hitter but have used him often at first base with Joe Mauer injured. Morales hit .234 in 39 games with 11 doubles, 1 home run and 18 RBI.
Morales had 23 home runs and 80 RBI last year for the Mariners, both the second-highest season totals of his career.
Prior, 25, has appeared in 34 games for the Mariners since 2012, posting a 2.81 ERA. He will report to Class AAA Rochester.
The Twins also recalled infielder Jorge Polanco from Class A Fort Myers.
ATHLETICS
Johnson out
OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Oakland Athletics have designated right-hander Jim Johnson for assignment before Thursday's game against the Houston Astros.
Johnson, acquired in a trade with the Baltimore Orioles, was 4-2 with a 6.92 ERA in 38 games with the A's.
Brought in to replace Grant Balfour as the team's closer, Johnson faltered early, blowing his first two chances before losing his job. He allowed four runs on three hits without retiring a batter in Wednesday night's 9-7 victory over the Astros.
Johnson led the American League in saves in each of the past two seasons, with 50 last year and 51 in 2012.
Evan Scribner was recalled to replace Johnson on the 25-man roster.
Sports on 07/25/2014