Rays bolster bullpen with Bradford
The first-place Tampa Bay Rays acquired reliever Chad Bradford from Baltimore on Thursday, bolstering their bullpen with a proven postseason pitcher.
The Rays claimed the submarining right-hander on waivers, then got him from the Orioles in a trade for a player to be named.
The 33-year-old Bradford is 3-3 with a 2.45 ERA this year. The durable reliever has made 47 appearances and thrown 40 1/3 innings.
Even better for a team expecting to make the playoffs for the first time: He has a 0.00 ERA in 17 postseason games spanning 15 1/3 innings – no active reliever has pitched more innings in the playoffs without giving up a run.
Bradford has reached the playoffs with the Chicago White Sox, Oakland, Boston and the New York Mets.
Jays want Gaston back
Cito Gaston will return as manager of the Toronto Blue Jays next year.
The Blue Jays fired manager John Gibbons on June 20 and gave the job to Gaston for the rest of this season.
Going into Thursday night’s game against Oakland, the Blue Jays were 23-17 since Gaston took over – the fourth-best record in baseball during that span. Toronto was in fourth place in the A.L. East at 58-56.
The 64-year-old Gaston is Toronto’s first two-time manager and the fourth-oldest skipper in the majors. He joined the Blue Jays as a batting coach in 1981 and became manager for the first time in 1989. Toronto fired Gaston in the final week of the 1997 season.
Dodgers activate Penny
Brad Penny is expected to come off the 15-day disabled list to start the Los Angeles Dodgers’ game at San Francisco tonight.
Manager Joe Torre said the right-hander likely would be limited to around 90 pitches.
Penny has been on the DL since June 17, retroactive to June 15, with right shoulder tendinitis and bursitis.
Leaders swap arms
Lefty reliever Scott Eyre was acquired by the Philadelphia Phillies from the Chicago Cubs for a minor league pitcher. The Phillies sent minor-league right-hander Brian Schlitter to Chicago in the trade between N.L. division leaders.