Benes Dealt From Cubs to Rangers, Will Start

The Chicago Cubs traded right-hander Alan Benes to the Texas Rangers on Friday for a player to be named.

Benes, 31, was 0-0 with a save and a 2.16 earned-run average in three games for the Cubs this season. He is expected to start for the Rangers at home tonight against Cleveland.

“We think this guy’s a good option for us,” Ranger Manager Buck Showalter said. “I love his makeup and his presence.”

Ismael Valdes (tendinitis in his right shoulder) and Chan Ho Park (strained lower back), the Nos. 1 and 2 starters for the Rangers, are both on the disabled list. Valdes is eligible to come off the DL and had been scheduled to start for Texas this weekend but will make a rehab start instead.

Right-hander Ryan Drese (2-2, 7.65 ERA) was sent by Texas to triple-A Oklahoma.

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A young boy was taken to a hospital after being hit near the eye by Juan Gonzalez’s foul liner in the ninth inning of the Texas-Cleveland game.

Gonzalez then struck out to end the Rangers’ 9-5 loss and medical personnel attended to the boy, who was sitting along the third-base line, for several minutes on the field after the game.

Ranger spokesman John Blake said the boy was taken to Cook Children’s Medical Center in Fort Worth. A security official from the team drove the boy and his father to the hospital.

The condition of the boy, who appeared to be 5 or 6 years old, wasn’t known and the team didn’t have the boy’s full name. The boy never lost consciousness and didn’t appear to be bleeding.

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The Detroit Tigers purchased the contract of Steve Avery from triple-A Toledo and the left-hander was in uniform for Friday night’s game at Tampa Bay. Avery, 33, is making his return to the majors after sitting out the last three years after left shoulder surgery in 1999.... The Houston Astros put shortstop Julio Lugo on waivers. Lugo was arrested April 30 and charged with misdemeanor assault for allegedly attacking his wife at Minute Maid Park before the game.... Chicago Cub Manager Dusty Baker has asked St. Louis Cardinal Manager Tony La Russa and Pittsburgh Pirate Manager Lloyd McClendon to be part of his staff for the All-Star game, hosted by the Chicago White Sox on July 15.