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The Texas Rangers have announced that they have acquired lefthanded pitcher Travis Blackley from the Houston Astros in exchange for cash considerations.
Blackley, 30, is an interesting pitcher, a guy I really liked when he was coming up in the Seattle Mariners system a decade ago. Signed out of Australia as an amateur free agent in 2000, heading into the 2004 season, he was the #63 prospect in baseball per Baseball America. However, he missed the 2005 season due to shoulder problems, and had little major league time since then until last year, when he revived his career in Oakland, putting up a 3.86 ERA in 102.2 innings, starting 15 games and coming in in relief in 9 others.
Blackley hasn't repeated that success in Houston this year, however, putting up a 4.89 ERA in 35 innings, and having control issues (20 walks and 4 WPs). The Rangers have assigned Blackley to AAA Round Rock, and he'll likely be a minor league depth guy who could be called up in September if the Rangers want a spare veteran arm in the pen.