Major League Baseball roundup

[July 24, 2015]  July 23 (The Sports Xchange) - The Houston Astros, in a hot race with the Los Angeles Angels in the American League West, acquired left-hander Scott Kazmir from the Oakland Athletics for two minor-league pitchers on Thursday.

The A's received catcher Jacob Nottingham and right-hander Daniel Mengden.

Houston, which had led the AL West for much of the season, has fallen two games behind the streaking Angels, who have won seven in a row.

Kazmir, a 31-year-old Houston native, is 5-5 with a 2.38 ERA in the final season of the two-year, $22 million contract he signed with Oakland last year.

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The Pittsburgh Pirates, trying to keep pace with the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Central, acquired third baseman Aramis Ramirez from the Milwaukee Brewers for minor league pitcher Yhonathan Barrios.

The 37-year-old Ramirez started his career with the Pirates, who traded him exactly 12 years ago to the Chicago Cubs. Pittsburgh also will receive cash considerations as part of the deal.

In 18 games this season for the Brewers, Ramirez was batting .247 with 11 home runs and 42 RBIs, but he is hitting .352 in July.

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The Los Angeles Angels placed third baseman David Freese on the 15-day disabled list and recalled third baseman Kyle Kubitza from Triple-A Salt Lake.

Freese was hit by a pitch on the right hand in the fourth inning of the Angels' 5-2 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday, and he immediately came out of the game. X-rays showed a non-displaced fracture on the tip of his index finger, which was placed in a splint. He will have the splint removed and be re-evaluated in two weeks.

Kubitza hit .207 in 12 games with the Angels in June.

(Editing by Andrew Both)

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