Athletics Acquire Durham for Minor Leaguer

Second baseman Ray Durham, the subject of recent trade rumors, was finally dealt by the Chicago White Sox on Thursday to the Oakland Athletics for triple-A pitcher Jon Adkins.

The trade, completed after the White Sox agreed to send cash to pay part of Durham’s salary, was announced after Oakland’s 5-4 loss to the Angels.

Durham, an All-Star in 1998 and 2000, will join the Athletics in Texas for tonight’s game. The A’s are in the middle of the AL West and wild card races while Chicago is 14 games back in the AL Central.

“He’s a talent, this kid,” Oakland Manager Art Howe said. “It’s nice to inject that kind of bat into our lineup. He’s a switch-hitter with speed, he’s got a lot of tools.”

Durham, 30, was hitting .299 with nine homers and 48 runs batted in.

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The Florida Marlins’ Spanish-language radio outlet, WQBA-AM, is cutting costs by broadcasting a four-game series in Montreal this week from the station’s studios in South Florida.

The broadcast crew includes Hall of Fame play-by-play announcer Felo Ramirez, who until Thursday’s series opener had missed only one regular-season game in the team’s 10-year history.

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Mariano Rivera received a cortisone injection in his strained right shoulder, and the New York Yankee All-Star closer could be headed to the disabled list for the second time this season.... The Houston Astros optioned right-handed pitcher Tim Redding to triple-A New Orleans and activated righty Dave Mlicki from the disabled list. Mlicki, scheduled to start today against Pittsburgh, went on the disabled list May 26 with a strained muscle in his left rib cage.