SEATTLE (AP) — Everyday Eddie is back with Minnesota.
The Twins acquired Eddie Guardado on Monday in a trade with the Texas Rangers for a minor league pitcher. The 37-year-old Guardado was 3-3 with a 3.65 ERA in 49 1-3 innings for Texas, which recently made him its closer after an injury to C.J. Wilson.
Opponents are batting .220 against the left-hander this season.
Guardado has 187 career saves, 116 with Minnesota, where he played from 1993-03 and earned his nickname for the number of innings he logged. He’ll help in the eighth inning, a problem for the Twins this season after setup man Pat Neshek hurt his elbow and landed on the disabled list.
Minnesota blew a 3-2 lead in the eighth and lost 5-3 on Sunday to the Angels.
To make room for Guardado, the Twins designated third baseman Mike Lamb for release or assignment before Monday’s game at Seattle. After signing a two-year, $6.6 million contract with a team option for 2010, Lamb struggled at the plate and lost his job to Brian Buscher in June. The 33-year-old Lamb was batting .233 with one home run and 32 RBIs in 236 at-bats.
Texas general manager Jon Daniels said he wouldn’t have made the move if the Rangers were still in the playoff race. Minnesota claimed Guardado when he was placed on waivers.
“He was very complimentary of the situation of the organization and appreciated the opportunity to go back to the Twins,” Daniels said in a conference call. “Certainly only positive feelings on both sides.
“If we were three games out, we wouldn’t be in a position to be trading veterans,” he added. “We’d probably be on the other side of it, looking to add.”
To take Guardado’s place, the Rangers purchased the contract of left-hander Bill White from Triple-A Oklahoma. White was expected to join the team and be available in the bullpen for Monday’s game at Kansas City.
Right-hander Frank Francisco was expected to move into the ninth-inning role.
“It sounds like Frankie’s going to get the first shot at it,” Daniels said, declining to speculate on the competition for the closer job next season. “Let’s see how the next five weeks go. I’d like to see Frankie step up and perform in that role and handle it.”
Minnesota sent 21-year-old right-hander Mark Hamburger to the Rangers, who will assign him to their Class-A club in Clinton, Iowa.
Texas also recalled outfielder Nelson Cruz from Triple-A Oklahoma and designated outfielder Jason Ellison for assignment. Cruz, who spent parts of the past two seasons with the Rangers but hasn’t played in the majors this year, hit .342 with 37 home runs and 99 RBIs in 103 games for Oklahoma.
“He’s got his confidence back, and we’re just going to put him in there and let him swing and see how it goes,” Daniels said.
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