Alexi Ogando complained of pain in his right biceps during a 6-2 win over Oakland Wednesday. (Scott Halleran/Getty Images)

The Rangers placed starting pitcher Alexi Ogando on the disabled list, the team announced Thursday.

Ogando was diagnosed with right biceps tendinitis the morning after he allowed two runs on four hits with one walk and three strikeouts over six innings in a 6-2 win against Oakland. The righthander has started the 2013 season with a 4-2 record and 3.08 ERA in nine starts.

Ogando had one trip to the the DL last season with a right groin strain he sustained running the bases in an interleague game.

The Rangers have recalled right-handed reliever Cory Burns from Triple A Round Rock for the short-term. The team plans to bring Josh Lindblom up from Round Rock to make Ogando’s start in the rotation. Lindblom is 4-0 with a 2.08 ERA in eight Triple-A games, including seven starts.

The Texas Rangers will place veteran-catcher A.J. Pierzynski on the disabled list, according to FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal. This would be only the second time in Pierzynski’s career that he has been placed on the disabled list. A bothersome oblique strain has kept Pierzynski out of the Rangers’ lineup for the fourth time in the last nine games.

Pierzynski said the injury “wasn’t getting better” and he didn’t want the injury to drag on throughout the season. Pierzynski’s lone stay on the disabled list over his 16-year was in 2011 when he missed 17 days when he fractured his left wrist. He has four home runs and 11 RBI so far this season for the Rangers.

Source: #Rangers to place Pierzynski on DL.—
Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) May 09, 2013

The White Sox scratched pitcher Jake Peavy from his scheduled Thursday night start at Texas due to back spasms, the team announced via Twitter.

Hector Santiago will get the start in place of Peavy. The left-hander’s 2013 numbers include a 2.51 ERA and 1.12 WHIP with 11 K and 3 BB in 14 innings.

Peavy, who has has been impressive early in the 2013 season — 3-1, 3.38 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 39/6 K/BB ratio over 32 innings — is considered day-to-day.

Peavy has struggled against the Rangers, especially at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. In four career starts, three of which have been in Arlington, he’s 0-2 with a 7.59 ERA and has allowed four homers in 21 1/3 innings.

LINEUP CHANGE: @JakePeavy_44 has been scratched from tonight's lineup due to back spasms. @HecSantiago53 will start in his place. #BeatTEX—
Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) May 02, 2013

Texas Rangers’ starting pitcher Matt Harrison will have surgery to repair a herniated disc in his back and is expected to be out until after the All-Star break, Rangers GM Jon Daniels said on Friday. According to Fox Sports reporter Anthony Andro, the team will not have a proper timeline for how long Harrison will be out until after surgery is complete.

Harrison appeared in two games this season before succumbing to a herniated disc in his back. He took the loss on Opening Day against the Astros, surrendering five runs in 5.2 innings. Harrison didn’t fare better in his next start against the Angels on April 6, allowing five runs in five innings of work. The left-hander landed on the disabled list on April 10th after receiving multiple injections to help reduce inflammation in his lower back.

Harrison won 18 games for the Rangers last season while posting a 3.29 ERA.

BREAKING NEWS: Matt Harrison to have back surgery for a herniated disk (L5/S1). Out until after the All-Star Break. http://t.co/pMCxzXrIZe—
Texas Rangers (@Rangers) April 19, 2013

Lance Berkman has not enjoyed playing 177 games at Wrigley Field in his 14 MLB seasons. (Bob Levey/Getty Images)

Lance Berkman’s reputation as a straight-talking clubhouse presence was one of the reasons the Rangers lured him away from retirement during the offseason. Berkman’s positive experiences do not extend to Wrigley Field.

Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports some Rangers players to be excited about the team’s first trip to Wrigley since 2002, but Berkman made it perfectly clear he’s no fan of one of baseball’s cathedrals, and the oldest park in the National League.

“If they’re looking for a guy to push the button when they blow the place up, I’ll do it,” Berkman told the Star-Telegram and Dallas Morning News.

“It’s one of the worst places in baseball for, well, just about anything. I really don’t like it. I read where they got approval for some more upgrades. Count me in the group of people extremely happy to see that. I guess I’m just spoiled. “There is a tremendous history associated with it and there is something special about playing on the same field that guys like Babe Ruth did. But really, what kind of history is there? It’s not like there has been one championship after another. It’s mainly been a place for people to go and drink beer.”

Berkman has endured 355 plate appearances in 177 games at Wrigley during his 14 major league seasons. The combination of cold weather and lack of a designated hitter in the National League park will likely limit the 37-year-old Berkman to pinch-hitting opportunities in the three-game interleague series with the Cubs.

Nolan Ryan will stay on as CEO of the Texas Rangers. (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan will continue on as the Texas Rangers CEO, the team announced  Wednesday.

Ryan has been an executive in the organization since 2008, first serving as team president and then partnering with Chuck Greenberg the next season to buy the Rangers for $385 million.

The Dallas Morning News reported that Ryan’s status with the team had been in question when the president’s title was taken from him and was split between general manager Jon Daniels (over baseball operations) and Rick George (over business operations).

Ryan said he is focused to working closely with ownership to “bring a championship to Arlington.”

From a team release:

“We’ve had meaningful conversations with Nolan Ryan over the past several weeks and are pleased that our focus is now on working together to win a championship for our fans,” Rangers co-chairmen Ray Davis and Bob Simpson said in a statement. “Over the years Nolan has made extraordinary contributions to the Texas Rangers organization, both on and off the field, including providing valuable guidance to Jon Daniels and Rick George. His leadership as our chief executive — with both baseball and business operations reporting to him — has been vital to our success and offers us a bright future.”

The Seattle Mariners are one of four MLB teams that did not have a single African-American player on their opening day roster. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

Major League Baseball is set to announce the creation of a task force on Wednesday to help reverse the record low of African-Americans playing the sport, reports USA Today.

On opening day, African-Americans made up 7.7 percent of major league rosters, which is an all-time low. MLB Commissioner Bud Selig has yet to announce the move.

Four major league teams did not have a single African-American on their roster on opening day. Those teams were the St. Louis Cardinals, San Francisco Giants, Seattle Mariners and the Texas Rangers. The Giants have won two of the last three World Series championships but did not have one black player in their major-league camp.

From USA Today:

The 17-member committee will consist of owners, executives and coaches, including Hall of Famer Frank Robinson, Chicago White Sox vice president Kenny Williams, Tampa Bay Rays owner Stuart Sternberg and Southern University baseball coach Roger Cador.

“I never thought I’d see anything like this,” Hall of Fame second baseman Joe Morgan said to USA Today. “But I’ve seen it coming. There, for a long time, there were a lot of African-American players to look up to and emulate, but there’s not enough big stars now to dissuade them from basketball and football.”

Angels outfielder Josh Hamilton was loudly booed during his return to Rangers Ballpark in Arlington on Friday. (Rick Yeatts/Getty Images)

The verbal abuse that Josh Hamilton’s wife received from Texas Rangers fans was so harsh that she was forced to call security during the game, Hamilton said.

Katie Hamilton and the couple’s four kids remained in their seats and watched Friday’s game with a security guard present.

Josh Hamilton went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts as the Angels lost, 3-2, in his first game back in Arlington since signing a stunning five-year $125-million contract with Los Angeles.

The outfielder, who slumped throughout the second half of 2012 as the Rangers lost their division lead and the AL Wild Card Game, received “vicious boos” from Rangers fans.

[Jaffe: Hamilton's return adds spice to Angels-Rangers rivalry and opens old wounds]

From USA Today:

“It’s cool to get ragged on about normal things,” Josh Hamilton said, but when you get a little swearing and jawing back at Katie, and saying inappropriate things, it’s a little different story.

“They were saying personal stuff, stuff that was inappropriate with kids around. It’s a good lesson for the kids, just about people in general, and not putting faith in them, but the man upstairs.”

…

Hamilton conceded that he was upset with the taunts, but was grateful that it didn’t appear to upset his kids.

“It was cool, they weren’t upset when they got home,” Hamilton said. “They kissed me and hugged me, and brought friends over. They played on a trampoline and I jumped on the trampoline with them. It was just like any other game coming home, and I was treating it like that.”

Josh Hamilton expects to get booed in his first appearance as an Angel in Texas on April 5. (Rich Pilling/Getty Images)

In the Dallas-Fort Worth area football is king.

Los Angeles Angels center fielder Josh Hamilton ruffled some feathers this spring when he acknowledged that and said that Dallas is not a baseball town.

He isn’t going to apologize for that statement and expects to get booed heavily when the Angels play the Texas Rangers in a three-game set starting this weekend.

“The truth is the truth,” Hamilton said to USA TODAY. “And that was the truth. I don’t regret anything I said. ”If they booed me when I played there, “why wouldn’t they boo me now?”

Hamilton dropped a fly ball in the regular-season finale against the Oakland A’s which completed the Rangers’ collapse down the stretch in which they blew a five-game division lead with nine games left.

Hamilton, who spent five seasons with the Rangers, eventually signed a five-year, $125 million contract with the Angels and is off to a rough start with the team after three games. He has one hit in 12 at-bats and has struck out six times this season.

“It’s one of those things where Texas, especially Dallas, has always been a football town,” Hamilton said. “So the good with the bad is they’re supportive, but they also got a little spoiled at the same time, pretty quickly.”

Astros announcer Alan Ashby apologized for comments about Yu Darvish. (Bob Levey/Getty Images)

Houston Astros announcer Alan Ashby said he’s sorry for the controversial on-air comments he made about Yu Darvish after the Texas Rangers pitcher blew a perfect game in the ninth inning on April 2.

The comments under fire were about Darvish learning the English language. Darvish grew up in Japan before coming over to the Texas Rangers last season. The Rangers ended up winning the game 7-0 , but Darvish would’ve become only the 24th pitcher in MLB history to throw a perfect game.

Chris Chase of USA Today Sports transcribed the on-air dialogue between Ashby and play-by-play commentator Geoff Blum:

Blum: “Gosh, that has got to be a tough pill to swallow.”

Ashby: “That’ll force a guy to learn some of the language here in America.”

Blum: “[Laughter] Some of the more inappropriate language. I like it. They probably learn that instantly coming over here. But that was a fantastic performance.”

USA Today Sports also included the subsequent apology that Ashby issued the next day:

“I’d like to apologize if my comments last night were misinterpreted or construed as insensitive. I have the highest respect for Yu Darvish; he’s a great player and his performance last night was outstanding. He showed a great deal of poise in the face of a difficult moment last night, which speaks to the strength of his character.”

Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel will use his arm to throw out the first pitch of a Rangers game next weekend. (Scott Halleran/Getty Images)

Texas A&M quarterback and Heisman trophy winner Johnny Manziel will throw out the first pitch Sunday night before the Texas Rangers’ game against their division rivals the Los Angeles Angels, reports FoxSports Southwest. 

Manziel recently made headlines for allegedly shoving a graduate assistant after throwing an interception during a scrimmage last month. He also said he was going to stay off Twitter for the forseeable future.

From Fox Sports Southwest:

Manziel grew up playing baseball and said last winter that his dream growing up was to play shortstop for the Rangers.

The Heisman Trophy winner had plenty of success across the street from Rangers Ballpark earlier this year. He was named the Offensive Most Valuable Player in the Cotton Bowl after totaling a Cotton Bowl-record 516 yards of total offense in a 41-13 rout of Oklahoma.

Manziel’s appearance is part of a big Aggie day at the ballpark. The Texas A&M Singing Cadets will handle the national anthem and “God Bless America” duties.

The Texas Rangers and shortstop Elvis Andrus have agreed to an eight-year, $120 million contract extension, reports CBSSports.com’s Jon Heyman.

The 24-year-old Andrus is now owed $131 million over the next 10 seasons, including the money left on his current deal.

[SI's Complete Team-By-Team MLB Season Preview]

Andrus is considered one of the top young shortstops in baseball. He was an All-Star last season, when he hit .286 with 31 doubles.

But the investment is heavy for a player with a career .275 batting average and only 14 home runs in four seasons. The Rangers are betting that Andrus will continue to grow offensively.

The Rangers prefer Jurickson Profar to play on a daily basis in the minors. (Jason Miller/Getty Images)

The Texas Rangers declined to include the minor-league’s best prospect in off-season trade offers, but they won’t start the 2013 season with Jurickson Profar at the major-league level.

Gerry Fraley of The Dallas Morning News reports the Rangers’ decision to keep rookie Leury Garcia as their Opening Day utility infielder means Profar will open the season with Triple-A Round Rock.

The move is not unexpected and has more to do with the Rangers wanting Profar, a middle infielder, to play on a daily basis, rather than his disappointing spring training numbers.

Profar made his Major League debut with the Rangers in early September last season, hitting a home run in his first career at-bat. He played in a total of nine games after the rosters expanded and was included on the RAngers’

Josh Hamilton expects to get booed in his first appearance as an Angel in Texas on April 5. (Rich Pilling/Getty Images)

The Los Angeles Angels are contributing to a clubhouse pool on whether Josh Hamilton hears more boos or cheers when he make his first appearance against the Rangers wearing a Los Angeles uniform on April 5, according to Gerry Fraley of The Dallas Morning News.

Hamilton expects to get booed.

“I got booed when I played there,” said Hamilton, alluding to the response to his final game as a Ranger. “Why wouldn’t I get booed when I play there as an Angel?”

Hamilton, who faced his former team Thursday in a spring training game, tried to smooth over previous comments that included classifying the Dallas-Fort Worth area as “not a true baseball town.”

Early in spring training, Hamilton said: “There’s true baseball fans in Texas, but it’s not a true baseball town.” That sparked a furor in the region that Hamilton still calls home.

He offered praise for Texas fans Thursday.

“I loved Texas,” he said. “The fans were great when I was there. It was a chapter in my life … and I enjoyed every minute of it.

“It’s great support when you’re getting 50,000 on a Friday night instead of going to high-school football. That was fun. It was an exciting ride, and I wish them the best.”

Both Hamilton and his wife have made comments since his signing with the Angels that have left many Rangers fans with a bad tase in their mouths. Hamilton moved to Los Angeles after five up-and-down seasons with Texas that included winning the 2010 AL MVP award, but also twice failing his sobriety publicly.

At his introductory new conference with the Angels, wife Katie was critical of the Rangers’ approach to negotiations with her husband.

“They let us go out and date other people and kind of give our hearts away,” Katie Hamilton said. “I’m so glad they didn’t (push hard to re-sign Hamilton.) We feel so strongly this is where God has moved us and planted us.”

The Rangers and Hamilton’s agent, Mike Moye, tabled talks on an extension after he had his second setback in four years in the fight against alcohol and drug addiction. At the time, the sides agreed Hamilton would test the free agent market to determine his value.

Hamilton said he was also disappointed the Rangers didn’t put in more effort to bring him back.

“I think it’s a blessing in disguise,” Hamilton said. “I gave them everything I had for five years. I’d be lying if I said it didn’t bother me a little bit that they didn’t put the press on.”

The Rangers are close to signing right-handed pitcher Derek Lowe to a minor-league deal with expectations of him becoming a swing starter/reliever with the major-league club, according to a tweet and report by Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News.

Lowe, 39, pitched for the Indians and Yankees in 2012 totaling 21 starts in Cleveland and 17 appearances in relief for New York. He compiled a 5.11 ERA with 3.5 K/9 and 3.2 BB/9 in 142 2/3 innings.

The Rangers reportedly have been looking at potential fifth starters — including Kyle Lohse and Rick Porcello after Martin Perez was projected to miss four weeks with a fractured bone in his forearm

Source: Rangers on verge of signing RHP Derek Lowe to minor league deal, but he will make club, probably in swing role. Story coming.—
Evan Grant (@Evan_P_Grant) March 06, 2013

Nolan Ryan and Jon Daniels have both been credited with turning the Rangers franchise around. (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Nolan Ryan intends to wait and see how his new CEO title works out before deciding whether to leave the Texas Rangers, sources told Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News.

Ryan’s future with the Rangers came into question Monday when the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported sources saying the Hall of Fame pitcher was unhappy with the team’s announcement that general manager Jon Daniels was promoted to president of baseball operations, and that Rick George was promoted to president of business operations. Ryan’s CEO title remained, but sources also said Daniels now owned final say over all baseball decisions and George had final say over business decisions.

Grant wrote:

This seems to pass the legitimacy test. Ryan has done nothing impetuously. To leave now, would be the only way to potentially exit the Rangers in anything but a graceful manner. If he leaves within weeks of the announcement of this decision, there will be some perception that Ryan lost a “power play” and couldn’t work under a situation that he had some initial discomfort with.

Ryan has been credited, along with Daniels for a Rangers front office that has produced back-to- back World Series appearances (2010, 2011), three straight 90-win seasons and a top-ranked farm system. Ryan has not commented since the announcement. Daniels said Tuesday he hopes Ryan stays with the team.

“I think once Nolan chooses to address this publicly I would assume that’ll get addressed and figured out,” Daniels said Tuesday on 103.3’s Fitzsimmons and Durrett show [KESN-FM]. “I think our relationship is good. It’s a good working relationship. We respect each other. We have similar values as people, as humans, as fathers, husbands, etc. We believe in treating people well.

“I’ve learned a lot from him. Hopefully that’s mutual on some level. We’ve had a lot of success working together, and I want to continue that.”

Bob Simpson, one of the Rangers’ two majority owners, is considered a Ryan ally. He denied that he and Ray Davis had stripped Nolan of power.

“My definition of CEO is it’s the person in charge,” Simpson said. “Nolan Ryan will still make the anything-of-significance decisions and bring those to the owners for approval. I say significant decisions because we wanted to remove some of the day-to-day stuff from Nolan.

“Nolan is a treasure for us. His wisdom and his counsel are invaluable. And if anyone in his camp has taken these latest moves the wrong way, then that needs to be addressed.”

The Rangers are reportedly interested in a trade for the Tigers’ Rick Porcello. (Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

The Texas Rangers have asked the Detroit Tigers about a potential trade for starting pitcher Rick Porcello, according to a report from ESPN New York’s Adam Rubin.

The Rangers are looking for a fifth starter to round out their rotation, and they have been unimpressed with their own candidates during spring training. On Sunday, 24-year-old right-hander Justin Grimm struggled, and 21-year-old Martin Perez fractured a bone in his forearm that will sideline him for four weeks.

Porcello’s name has been involved in trade rumors since the Tigers re-signed Anibal Sanchez in the offseason.

A highly touted prospect, Porcello has failed to live up to the hype that surrounded him upon his ascension to the majors in 2009. He has a career record of 48-42 with a 4.55 ERA, including a 10-12 record and 4.59 ERA last season.

But Porcello also induced the sixth-most ground balls in the majors last season (51.4 percent), leading to a wide assumption that his numbers would look much better if he had a more reliable defense behind him.

Ivan Rodriguez will join the Rangers as a special assistant to the GM. (Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

The Rangers hired Ivan Rodriguez as a special assistant to the GM on Thursday, according to CBS Sports. The former catcher spent 13 season with the Rangers; during that course of time, Rodriguez had 11 All-Star selections, 10 Gold Gloves, six Silver Sluggers and an MVP award.

According to the team’s press release, Rodriguez will

“assist the Rangers baseball operations group in a number of areas, including amateur, professional, and international scouting, player instruction on the major and minor league level, and talent evaluation. He will also be involved in community and marketing endeavors on behalf of the club.”

Rodriguez, 41, ranks fourth in home runs, fourth in RBIs and first in Wins Above Replacement among the franchise’s position players.

Ex-Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton says Dallas isn’t a baseball town. (Victor Decolongon/Getty Images)

In the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, the Dallas Cowboys have been the talk of the town for decades. Even after two straight World Series appearances by the Texas Rangers, it appears that notion is not going away anytime soon.

Ex-Rangers and new Anaheim Angels outfielder Josh Hamilton says he understands the football culture even though the Cowboys have won only one playoff game in the last 16 years.

“Texas, especially Dallas, has always been a football town. They’re supportive, but they also got a little spoiled at the same time, pretty quickly,” Hamilton said to a CBS television affiliate in Dallas. “You think about three to four years ago [pre-World Series]. It’s like, come on man, are you happier there again?”

Hamilton who signed a 5-year, $125 million deal with the Angels in December says he expects an interesting reception when his new team comes back to Texas in April for a three-game series.

“It will be mixed feelings from the crowd. People who really get it will cheer and the people who don’t will boo. Either way, I’ll do what I got to do to help my team win.”

Brandon Webb has retired from baseball. (Norm Hall, Getty Images)

Former Cy Young award winner Brandon Webb is retiring from baseball at age 33, according to a statement from his agents to ESPN.com.

Webb had a seven year career in the majors, all with the Arizona Diamondbacks, but hasn’t appeared in a game since 2009 due to ongoing shoulder problems. Webb attempted a comeback with the Texas Rangers in 2011 and was believed to be getting back into the game again until Monday’s announcement.

Webb will be best remembered for an excellent three-year stretch with the Diamondbacks from 2006-2008. In that time, Webb made three straight All-Star games, won the 2006 Cy Young award, and finished second in Cy Young voting in 2007 and 2008. Webb finishes his career with an 87-62 record and a 3.27 ERA.

Rangers outfielder Nelson Cruz was linked to a Miami “wellness” clinic that allegedly supplied PEDs. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Rangers outfielder Nelson Cruz denied allegations that he purchased $4,000 worth of products from a Miami “wellness” clinic reported to have supplied performance-enhancing drugs to several major-league players, according to a statement issued through his lawyer.

Cruz was one of the major-league players, including Alex Rodriguez, Gio Gonzalez and Bartolo Colon, to be linked to Biogenesis through a now closed “wellness clinic” run by Anthony Bosch, according to a Miami New Times report.

“We are aware of certain allegations and inferences,” Cruz’s law firm, Farrell & Reisinger, said in a statement released to the Associated Press. “To the extent these allegations and inferences refer to Nelson, they are denied.”

The Dallas Morning News reports Farrell & Reisinger is not Cruz’s baseball representative. He is represented by Seth and Sam Levinson of ACEs. The statement apparently was released before Thursday.

Reisinger and Farrell has represented several current and former major leaguers involved in Congressional investigations of PEDs including New York Yankees pitcher Andy Pettitte and Sammy Sosa.

Mike Napoli agreed to a deal with the Boston Red Sox. (Jim Rogash/Getty Images Sport)

Mike Napoli and the Boston Red Sox have agreed to a one-year deal that will pay him $34 million less than the contract he and the team agreed to earlier this offseason, according to multiple reports.

Napoli had originally agreed to join Boston on a three-year, $39 million deal. But Napoli failed his physical with the team, Red Sox doctors determined. ESPN reported that Napoli reopened negotiations with the Rangers, his team the past two seasons, before deciding to stick with his plan of joining Boston.

His deal with the Red Sox, with a base salary of $5 million, will reportedly include incentives that could bump it up to $13 million — his average salary in the deal to which he had agreed in December.

Napoli was an All-Star last season with the Rangers. But he hit only .227 with 24 home runs in 108 games playing mostly catcher. His numbers had dropped from 2011, the best season of his career, when he hit .320 with 30 home runs.

With Boston, Napoli will primarily play first base, replacing Adrian Gonzalez, who was traded to the Dodgers last season.

Rangers pitcher Matt Harrison signed a 5-year, $55 million extension on Wednesday. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

The Texas Rangers signed left-handed pitcher Matt Harrison to a five-year, $55 million contract extension Wednesday night, reports the Dallas Morning News.

The deal, which is to be announced Thursday, also includes an option for the 2018 season. Harrison, 27, was in his second year of arbitration eligibility and the new deal buys out three years worth of free agency.

Over the last two seasons, Harrison is 32-20 with a 3.34 ERA in 399 regular-season innings. In addition, his 3.85 Fielding-Independent Pitching (FIP), which tries to measure those aspects of a game in which a pitcher has total control of his outcome such as walks, strikeouts and home runs, was the best among Rangers starters and 15th among 44 AL qualifiers.

“We’re still talking,” Harrison said last weekend. “We’re excited about the possibility of a long-term deal, but we still have thinking and talking to do.”

Harrison went 18-11 with a 3.29 ERA, 133 strikeouts and a 1.26 WHIP last season for the Rangers.

Free-agent Lance Berkman signed a one-year deal with the Texas Rangers. (Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

Free-agent Lance Berkman and the Texas Rangers agreed to a one-year deal Saturday, reports MLB.com.

The deal also comes with a vesting option for 2014 and Berkman will receive a $10 million salary plus a $1 million buyout this season.

Berkman, 36, had two surgeries on his right knee last season, forcing him to play only 32 games with the St. Louis Cardinals. Berkman hit .259 in 81 at-bats with two homers and seven RBIs.

“In a way they have to buy me out of retirement, and I know that sounds crass — I wish it didn’t — but it’s a big commitment, it can put a strain on the family,” Berkman said last week. “If I’m going to play, I’m going to give my heart and soul to the team. But if the carrot’s not big enough, the mule isn’t going to want to go.”

The Rangers would likely put Berkman in the designated hitter spot.  In 13 MLB seasons, Berkman is a career .290 hitter with 360 home runs and 1,200 RBI.

Lance Berkman has begun the process of narrowing down offers from American League teams. (Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

Lance Berkman has received two offers from a group of American League teams including the Orioles, Rangers and Rays, he told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. He declined to name which two teams had submitted offers.

Berkman, 36, said he’s in a “good spot” and not “overwrought” about selecting which team he’ll play for in 2013.

The six-time All-Star has been targeted as a designated hitter after knee injuries and surgery limited him to .259, 2 home runs and 7 RBIs in 32 games and 97 at-bats in 2012. It’s a role the 14-year veteran is willing to embrace.

“You want to play as much as you can,” Berkman said. “If I can play, I want to play. I’ll give the team everything I have.”

While the signing of Carlos Pena appears to have taken Berkman’s hometown Astros out of the market for a veteran DH, he said it will take more than just the Rangers’ geographic proximity to sway his decision.

“In a way they have to buy me out of retirement, and I know that sounds crass — I wish it didn’t — but it’s a big commitment, it can put a strain on the family,” said Berkman, who has been working with Rice University’s baseball team this winter. “If I’m going to play, I’m going to give my heart and soul to the team. But if the carrot’s not big enough, the mule isn’t going to want to go.”

The Arizona Diamondbacks are once again open to trading outfielder Justin Upton and have gotten “strong interest” from at least three teams, Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi reported Thursday. According to the report, the three teams intrigued are the Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers and Atlanta Braves.

The Diamondbacks’ intentions remain foggy at this point, according to the report. There is some thought that they would rather trade outfielder Jason Kubel, but he would not provide nearly as much potential return in any deal.

ESPN’s Buster Olney reported earlier Thursday that the Diamondbacks were “very much open” to discussing a deal for Upton and that they viewed the Mariners as a potential destination.

The Diamondbacks have viewed Seattle as a possible landing spot for Upton, but remember, he would have to approve any deal to Mariners.

— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) January 3, 2013

The 25-year-old Upton has been the subject of trade rumors for months and even years now. Upton’s stats regressed a bit in his third major-league season in 2012, as he hit .280 with 17 homers, 67 RBI and a .785 OPS. The Diamondbacks have a surplus of outfielders after signing Cody Ross late last month.

For his part, Upton tweeted that he wasn’t “going to worry about this trade nonsense” on Thursday:

Appreciate the support. This is the view from my hotel room. Going to enjoy it and not worry about this trade nonsense twitter.com/JUS10UP10/stat…

—Justin Upton (@JUS10UP10) January 3, 2013

Lance Berkamn could be coming back to baseball after all. (Jonathan Daniel, Getty Images)

Lance Berkman may not be retiring after all. FOX Sports reports that the six-time All-Star is currently in conversation with multiple clubs about a return to Major League Baseball, with the Texas Rangers believed to be among them.

Berkman missed a large chunk of last season with various injuries to his right knee, and was listed on the physically unable to perform list with the St. Louis Cardinals as they lost the NLCS to the San Francisco Giants.

Berkman played the first ten years of his MLB career with the Houston Astros, before moving to the New York Yankees and then the Cardinals.

Catcher A.J. Pierzynski criticized Rangers manager Ron Washington last July for not selecting him as an All-Star. (Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

On the day his one-year, $7.5-million deal with the Texas Rangers was made official, catcher A.J. Pierzynski attempted to put to rest any thoughts of a lingering feud with Rangers manager Ron Washington.

Last July, Pierzynski criticized Washington for snubbing him in selecting the American League All-Star team, despite posting 16 home runs and an .865 OPS before the break.

After Washington said that he felt bad for Pierzynski, the catcher said, “If (Washington) felt that bad he would have put me on the team. He had an opportunity to and he didn’t do it. Obviously, he can feel as bad as he wants, but he didn’t feel that bad.”

The 15-year veteran, who finished with career highs in runs (68), home runs (27), RBI (77) and OPS (.827), and the seventh-year manager both told reporters on Wednesday that they have moved on, according to ESPN.com’s Richard Durrett:

“It came up (at the lunch), and I made a joke of it,” Pierzynski said. “It was over as soon as it happened. You’re disappointed as a player because you want to go to the All-Star Game and be honored that way.

…

“I know he was in a tough spot,” Pierzynski said. “It wouldn’t change how I feel about Ron Washington because I know what he’s done in this game and where he stands. I’m over it and hopefully we can move on from that also.”

Washington said Wednesday the whole episode is “old news” and that he’s moving forward, claiming he is pleased to have Pierzynski on the Rangers.

“I always believed he did anything and everything he had to do to try to beat you,” Washington said.

Pierzynski, who Washington named Texas’ starting catcher, also responded to questions about his reputation, as he is considered unpopular among players and coaches for his strong personality.

“The only thing [Rangers fans] need to know about me as a person is that I want to win,” he said.

A.J. Pierzynski has agreed to a one-year contract with the Texas Rangers. (Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images)

The Rangers and free-agent catcher A.J. Pierzynski have agreed to a one-year contract, MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan reported Thursday night. The contract will depend on the 15-year veteran passing a physical. If Pierzynski passes the physical, the deal is expected to be announced on Friday.

Pierzynski reportedly met with the Rangers on Tuesday.

Texas, which was speculated to have interest in catcher Travis d’Arnaud before he was traded to the Mets as part of the R.A. Dickey deal, has been in the market for a catcher with some pop in his bat after Mike Napoli agreed to a contract with the Red Sox.

Pierzynski, 35, is coming off a career-year in which he hit 27 homers — nine above his previous career-high — and knocked in 77 RBI for the White Sox.

He is expected to be the team’s primary catcher and a left-handed designated hitter option when Geovany Soto is behind the plate.

The Texas Rangers floated top prospect Mike Olt in trade talks with the New York Mets for pitcher R.A. Dickey, the New York Daily News’ Andy Martino reported Sunday via Twitter. But the Mets are looking for more than Olt in a deal for Dickey, the 2012 NL Cy Young Award winner.

Sources: Texas expressed willingness to Mets to move Olt for Dickey. BUT I’m told it will take more than just Olt for Mets to move Dickey.

— Andy Martino (@MartinoNYDN) December 9, 2012

Olt, a third-base/first-base prospect, was ranked the Rangers’ No. 2 prospect by Baseball America heading into the 2013 season. With the Double-A Frisco RoughRiders in 2012, Olt hit .288 with a .977 OPS and 28 homers.

Dickey, the 38-year-old knuckleballer, went 20-6 with a 2.73 ERA and 1.05 WHIP. He also led the National League with 230 strikeouts in 233 2/3 innings pitched.

The Daily News’ Anthony McCarron reported Sunday that the Rangers might push harder for a deal with the Mets after losing out on Zack Greinke, who signed the second-largest contract ever for a pitcher with the Dodgers on Saturday.

The Texas Rangers traded third baseman Michael Young for prospects on Saturday. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Texas Rangers third baseman Michael Young waived his 10-and-5 rights and accepted a trade to the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday, which would acquire league approval and Young passing a physical, reports the Dallas Morning News. 

The Rangers will receive 25-year-old RHP Josh Lindblom and a minor leaguer, believed to be 22-year-old RHP Lisalverto Bonilla.

The Rangers must also still gain approval of MLB commissioner Bud Selig due to the large amount of cash (more than $10 million) the Rangers are sending Philadelphia. As with all deals, it would not be official until Young passes a physical for Philadelphia.

Young is set to make $16 million in 2013, the final season of a five-year, $80-million contract. The Rangers reportedly will pay $10-12 million of that salary. Young, 36, had spent his entire career with the Rangers where he hit .301 with 177 career home runs and 984 RBI.

Young agreed to the deal after getting the $1.2 million in benefits and getting full no-trade clause.—
Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) December 08, 2012

The Rangers have long been linked to interest and efforts to trade for Diamondbacks outfielder Justin Upton. The latest round of speculation has included a multi-team deal including Upton and various configurations of six teams including the Diamondbacks, Indians, Rays, Royals and Mariners.

Peter Gammons gave some weight to the four-team trade rumors via Twitter:

If you don't believe the multi-team Upton trade talk, Wednesday night a Rangers official called an Astros officisl and said, "we got Upton."—
Peter Gammons (@pgammo) December 07, 2012

Upton hit .246/.298/.454 in 633 plate appearances with the Rays this season. He hit 28 home runs and the Rangers believe he can benefit from hitting in Rangers Ballpark, statistically proven to be a hitter’s park.

The Seattle Mariners and free agent outfielder Josh Hamilton are discussing potential three-year contracts worth up to $25 million per season, Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reported on Thursday. The deals being thrown around sit in the range of $20 million to $25 million per year, Rosenthal reported.

Sources: #Mariners have discussed three-year deals with Hamilton in range of $20M to $25M per season.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 6, 2012

The Mariners and Texas Rangers have been the two most active teams in pursuit of Hamilton, who left this week’s Winter Meetings without a contract in hand. Mariners president Chuck Armstrong told The Seattle Times that the Mariners were still interested in Hamilton, but they were waiting to see where other free-agent dominoes fall.

Where Hamilton goes could depend on whether the Rangers sign pitcher Zack Greinke. If they do, they would be unlikely to fork over the kind of money needed to sign Hamilton.

The Dodgers are considering ending their pursuit of free agent pitcher Zack Greinke, according to Fox Sports’ Ken Rosethal via Twitter:

Sources: Greinke talks reaching critical stage. #Dodgers considering pulling out and moving on to other pursuits.—
Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 06, 2012

The Dodgers and Rangers reportedly have been the two teams most likely to land Greinke, but Bob Nightengale of USA Today tweeted that the Angels are still in the race, even after adding Joe Blanton and Tommy Hanson:

The #Angels, even after acquiring Joe Blanton and Tommy Hanson, still are in the thick of the Zack Greinke free-agent sweepstakes.—
Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) December 06, 2012

Mark Stanton of ESPN/Los Angeles reported the Dodgers had left the meetings “pessimistic they would be able to land Greinke,” and the Angels had “all but closed the door” on re-signing the right hander.

Asked if he was on the “doorstep” of acquiring Greinke, Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti said: “We’re not on the front lawn. … We’re barely out of the car at the curb. It’s better than driving around the neighborhood looking for the house. We know where the house is located. We just can’t seem to get out of the car.”

The Rangers and reliever Joakim Soria have agreed to a two-year contract pending a physical, Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reported Monday.

Soria in agreement with #Rangers on two-year deal, pending physical.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 3, 2012

CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman reported that the deal is for two years and $8 million.

Soria got $8M for 2 yrs with #rangers in agreed-upon deal.

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) December 3, 2012

The 28-year-old Soria missed the entire 2012 season after having Tommy John surgery on his elbow in April.

Soria has played his entire five-year career in Kansas City with the Royals, where he posted a 2.40 career ERA and 1.04 WHIP. In 60 1/3 innings in 2011, Soria struck out 60 batters and had a 4.03 ERA. He would join a bullpen that includes closer Joe Nathan.