Mariners Add Valdes to Staff

The American League West-leading Seattle Mariners, looking for another starting pitcher for the stretch run, acquired right-hander Ismael Valdes on Sunday in a trade with the Texas Rangers.

The Mariners gave up two minor leaguers, infielder Jermaine Clark and left-hander Derrick Van Dusen.

“I don’t think you see a sad face on me,” Valdes said in Texas, before the last-place Rangers played Toronto. “I’m excited about this. It’s tough to leave my teammates. I’ve made good friends here. But they understand I have a chance to go and win a ring and for that I’m excited. That’s the ultimate for every ballplayer.”

Valdes will go right into the Mariners’ rotation as their No. 4 starter, pitching Wednesday night at Detroit in place of left-hander John Halama.

Valdes, who turns 29 on Wednesday, was 6-9 with a 3.93 earned-run average in 23 starts for the Rangers. To make room for Valdes, Halama was optioned to triple-A Tacoma.

“We think having another veteran in our starting rotation will help us down the stretch,” General Manager Pat Gillick said. “Our pitching is our strength and adding Ismael gives us even greater depth in our pitching staff.”

Valdes is 2-1 with a 2.55 ERA in five starts this season against AL West contenders Oakland and the Angels.

“He knows how to pitch and compete well,” Seattle Manager Lou Piniella said. “He’ll give us some depth and some experience and hopefully will come here and throw the ball well. According to reports that we have, he’s been throwing the ball well over there in Texas. He should help us.”

Valdes has a career record of 78-83 with a 3.73 ERA in 247 games, including 220 starts, with the Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, Angels and Texas.

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Dick O’Connell, the former Boston Red Sox general manager who helped build the teams that played in the 1967 and 1975 World Series, died Sunday. He was 87.

O’Connell, who died at a Lexington, Mass., nursing home, had been very ill recently, Red Sox spokesman Kevin Shea said, although he did not give a cause of death.