Baseball-Major League Baseball roundup

08/06/2016 20:30

Aug 6 (The Sports Xchange) - The Seattle Mariners acquired ambidextrous pitcher Pat Venditte and right-handed reliever Arquimedes Caminero on Saturday in a pair of separate trades.

Venditte, a switch-pitching reliever, was brought in from the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for a player to be named later. Caminero was acquired from the Pittsburgh Pirates for a player to be named and a conditional player to be named later.

The Mariners also activated right-hander Taijuan Walker off the 15-day disabled list to start Saturday's game against the Los Angeles Angels. Sidelined since July 6 due to tendinitis in his right foot, Walker is 4-7 with a 3.66 ERA with 80 strikeouts and 18 walks in 16 starts.

The 31-year-old Venditte became the first full-time ambidextrous pitcher in the majors when he made his debut for the Oakland Athletics on June 5, 2015. Venditte, signed by the Blue Jays in the offseason, will report to Seattle's Triple-A affiliate at Tacoma. He has appeared in 34 games in the majors -- eight with Toronto this season -- and posted a 2-2 record and 4.58 ERA.

Caminero, 29, was 1-2 with one save and a 3.51 ERA over 41 innings with 32 strikeouts in 39 relief appearances with Pittsburgh this season. In his last 21 outings, he had a 2.13 ERA over 25 1/3 innings with 19 strikeouts since May 24.

Caminero made three rehab appearances with Triple-A Indianapolis after being placed on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left quad from May 25-June 11.

To make room on the Mariners' major league 40-man roster for the two relievers, right-handers Blake Parker and Donn Roach were designated for assignment. The Mariners have 10 days to trade, release or outright the contracts of each player to the minors.

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The Washington Nationals placed first baseman Ryan Zimmerman on the 15-day disabled list with a left wrist contusion, retroactive to Aug. 1.

Zimmerman, 31, had not played since last Sunday's 3-1 loss to San Francisco, where he was struck by Giants closer Santiago Casilla's pitch on his left wrist in the ninth inning.

Zimmerman is hitting .222 with 27 of his 67 hits going for extra bases in 80 games (14 doubles, one triple, 12 home runs). He has 38 RBIs.

In a corresponding roster move, the Nationals recalled outfielder Brian Goodwin from Triple-A Syracuse.

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The Cleveland Indians recalled left-handed pitcher TJ House from Columbus and optioned left-hander Shawn Morimando to the Triple-A club.

House, 26, has spent most of the 2016 season at Columbus, posting a record of 4-3 with one save and a 4.23 ERA over 66 innings in 26 games (12 starts).

Morimando, 23, was with the Indians just one day as an extra arm in the bullpen. He pitched one inning in the 13-7 loss to the New York Yankees on Friday night, giving up four runs.

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Oakland Athletics rookie left-hander Dillon Overton was optioned to Triple-A Nashville and left-hander Patrick Schuster was recalled from the Sounds to take his spot on the 25-man roster.

Overton is 1-3 with a 10.97 ERA in five starts for Oakland and has allowed 11 home runs in 21 1/3 innings.

Schuster, a rookie, had a 15.43 ERA in four relief appearances in his first stint with the A's.

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Left-hander Rich Hill developed remnants of another blister on his middle pitching finger and won't make his Los Angeles Dodgers' debut Sunday as scheduled.

Hill, acquired Monday from Oakland, will be replaced by right-hander Brandon McCarthy (2-2, 2.76 ERA). Left-hander David Price (9-7, 4.26 ERA) will start for the Boston Red Sox in the series finale. (Editing by Andrew Both)

08/06/2016 20:30