New York – The Texas Rangers announced prior to today’s game that the club has purchased the contract of right-handed pitcher Pedro Strop from Triple-A Oklahoma City.  The club has also designated right-handed pitcher Jason Jennings for assignment.  Strop (#64) is in uniform and available for today’s series finale at Yankee Stadium.

Strop, 24, will be looking to make his major league debut.  He has gone a combined 6-6 with 5 saves and a 5.06 ERA (36 ER/64.0 IP) in 47 relief appearances for Frisco (AA) and Oklahoma City this season.  He was just promoted to Oklahoma City for a second stint in the Pacific Coast League on Aug. 17.  Over his last 10 combined appearances at Double- and Triple-A beginning Aug. 2, Strop has tossed 14.2 scoreless innings, holding opponents to a .122 (6-49) average in that span with 2 walks and 12 strikeouts.  For the year, he has gone 5-5 with a 4.38 (25 ER/51.1 IP) in 36 games with Frisco and 1-1 with a 7.82 ERA (11 ER/12.2 IP) in 11 appearances with Oklahoma City.  Strop made 4 appearances with Texas in ‘A’ games this spring, going 0-1, 0.00 (1 R-0 ER/4.0 IP) while holding opponents to a .071 (1-14) average.

Strop was signed by Texas as a free agent on Sept. 25, 2008 after being released by Colorado.  He missed most of last season in the Rockies organization with a right elbow fracture.  The converted infielder is in just his fourth professional season on the mound, just his second full season as a pitcher.  A native of the Dominican Republic, Strop was originally signed by Colorado as a non-drafted free agent on Jan. 25, 2002.

The Rangers have 10 days to trade, release, or outright Jennings to the minor leagues.  He has gone 2-4 with a 4.13 ERA (28 ER/61.0 IP) in 44 relief appearances for Texas this season, his first big league campaign in the bullpen.  He leads the staff with 61.0 relief innings this season, tied for the 10th-highest total in the American League.  Jennings has compiled a 7.07 ERA (11 ER/14.0 IP) over 13 appearances since the All-Star break, raising his season ERA from 3.26.  Opponents have batted .387 since the break and he has allowed 10 of his last 12 inherited runners to score.

With these moves, the Rangers still have 39 players on the club’s 40-man roster.

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