Rangers lose reliever O'Day to Orioles

The Texas Rangers lost right-handerd relief pitcherDarren O'Day to the Baltimore Orioles on a waiver claim Wednesday. The Orioles have added O'Day to their major-league roster. O'Day struggled with injuries and inconsistency in 2011 for the Rangers, as hip surgery limited him to 16 games with the team. He missed more than two months in May and June after having surgeryto repair a partial tear in the labrum in his left hip. He was also slowed by a sore shoulder at the end of the regular season, spending time on the disabled list from Aug. 25-Sept. 12. He was 0-1 with a 5.40 ERA in his stint with the Rangers and wasn't on any of the three playoff rosters. O'Day pitched in 18 games in the minors, going a combined 1-0 with a 2.53 ERA. O'Day, 29, shined in 2009 with the Rangers as he went 2-1 with a 1.94 ERA after he was claimed on waivers from the New York Mets. He made his debut with the Rangers in an April game in Toronto where he met his teammates on the mound as he wasn't with the club before the game. He pitched well again in 2010, appearing in 72 games with a 2.03 ERA. O'Day is the fourth ex-Rangers player to join the Orioles in the last six months joining Tommy Hunter, Chris Davis and Pedro Strop. The Rangers also outrighted five played Wednesday after they cleared waivers, dropping Omar Beltre, Andres Blanco, Eric Hurley, Merkin Valdez and Esteban German from the 40-man roster. Of the five, only Blanco and German played with the Rangers during the 2011 season. The moves leave the Rangers with 32 players on their 40-man roster.