BASEBALL / DAILY REPORT : AROUND THE MAJORS : Van Slyke Moves to Phillie Outfield

The Philadelphia Phillies, hurting for outfield help with Lenny Dykstra and Gregg Jefferies injured, acquired Andy Van Slyke from the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday for right-handed pitcher Gene Harris.

Van Slyke, who came off the disabled list Friday, is hitting .159 with three home runs and eight runs batted in. He had gone on the disabled list June 2 because of a strained left forearm.

Manager Jim Fregosi said Van Slyke, who spent most of his career in the National League with St. Louis and Pittsburgh, will play center field while Dykstra is out because of a bad back.

“I just think it’s a necessity, with Lenny out, and now Jefferies, and a couple of our outfielders with leg problems,” said Fregosi, who expects to have Van Slyke, 34, when the Phillies open a four-game series today in New York.

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The Cleveland Indians, forced to make a move because of an odd clause in Gregg Olson’s contract, promoted the often-injured reliever from triple-A Buffalo.

Olson, who had 160 saves in five-plus years for Baltimore, pitched only 14 2/3 innings for Atlanta last season because of elbow trouble. The Indians signed him to a minor league deal in March, and he had 13 saves in 13 tries for Buffalo.

A clause in Olson’s contract allowed him to leave the Indians if he got an offer to join another big league team, unless Cleveland called him up. He reportedly got an offer from the Boston Red Sox last week, forcing the Indians’ hand.

The Indians designated left-hander Dennis Cook for assignment.

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The Pittsburgh Pirates’ opening day starter, Jon Lieber (2-7), was optioned to triple-A Calgary after giving up 18 hits and 11 runs in five innings over his last two starts. Steve Parris, a 27-year-old right-hander who has been released by three major league organizations, was purchased from double-A Carolina and will start Wednesday against San Francisco. . . . Right-hander Armando Reynoso, the Colorado Rockies’ opening-day starter last season, was activated after being sidelined more than a year because of elbow problems. . . . The Cincinnati Reds put first baseman Hal Morris on the 15-day disabled list because of a chronic hamstring injury and called up infielder Craig Worthington from triple-A Indianapolis.