Roy Oswalt struggled in his debut with the Phillies on Friday night. Washington defeated Philadelphia 8-1, ending the team's eight-game win streak. "I came out amped up, held the ball a little tight," said Oswalt. "Didn't really start feeling better until the last two innings. Didn't really go my way." Oswalt allowed five runs -- four earned -- and seven hits in six innings.

The auction to sell the Rangers will proceed as planned next week, despite a last-minute increase in the offer from a group led by Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan and Pittsburgh attorney Chuck Greenberg. The court-appointed restructuring officer in the team's bankruptcy case asked the judge Friday to forego an auction because of the increased offer. U.S. Bankruptcy Judge D. Michael Lynn rejected that plan, so the Greenberg-Ryan group's initial $575 million bid will remain.

Former major leaguer Orlando Hernandez made his minor league debut for the Nationals in the rookie-level Gulf Coast League. Hernandez, 44, gave up one run and two hits in one inning for the GCL Nationals in their 3-2 victory over the Marlins' affiliate Thursday. El Duque last appeared in the majors with the Mets in 2007.

The Orioles have hired ESPN analyst Buck Showalter as their next manager, a source confirmed Thursday. Showalter's first game as manager will be Tuesday, Aug. 3 against the Angels, the first game of a seven-game homestand.

The Phillies have called up outfielder Domonic Brown from Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Philadelphia placed center fielder Shane Victorino on the disabled list with an abdominal strain on his left side. Brown, the team's top prospect, batted .327 with 20 homers and 68 RBIs in 93 games at Double-A Reading and Lehigh Valley.

The Mariners have recalled left-hander Luke French from Triple-A Tacoma to take a spot in their starting rotation. In turn, Seattle sent struggling starter Ryan Rowland-Smith to the disabled list with a strained low back. French will be in his third stint with the Mariners this season.

Giants rookie Buster Posey recorded a hit for the 20th straight game on Tuesday night as San Francisco topped Florida 6-4. The longest streak by a Giants rookie is 22 games by Willie McCovey in 1959. Posey's hitting streak ties him for the team's sixth longest since the Giants moved to San Francisco.

Frank Thomas will become an ambassador for the White Sox, who will retire his No. 35 jersey During "Frank Thomas Day" on Aug. 29. Thomas, a two-time AL MVP, will be folded into the White Sox Speakers Bureau, which includes Carlton Fisk, Ron Kittle, Minnie Minoso and Bill "Moose" Skowron. Thomas will represent the team at community and charity functions, shake hands, sign autographs, talk to the crowd, and in general, turn an event away from the ballpark into a happening since it will have such a recognizable team figure on hand. "Frank Thomas is one of the greatest offensive players in Major League Baseball history and, without question, one of the greatest players in our franchise's long history," White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf said in a release. "It is with great pleasure that we formally welcome Frank back to the White Sox family."

Marlins left fielder Chris Coghlan is the latest player to land on the disabled list following an on-field celebration. Coghlan is headed for the disabled list with a torn meniscus in his left knee and could need surgery. He was hurt while delivering a pie in the face to teammate Wes Helms following the pinch-hitter's bases-loaded single in the 11th inning of a 5-4 win over Atlanta on Sunday. "It's very humbling when the game is taken away and you don't realize it because you play every day," Coghlan said. "If you ever get injured you want to do it while you're out there competing, not when you're celebrating. Emotions get the best of you, you're excited. There's nothing wrong with that but be a little smarter when you're celebrating a win."

The Mets will keep their coaching staff intact when they open a homestand Tuesday night against the Cardinals. The organization decided against breaking the staff apart during discussions via conference call on Monday, according to two sources. New York general manager Omar Minaya fueled speculation by refusing to issue votes of confidence on Sunday. The Mets have not scored in their past 16 innings. They are tied with the Marlins for third in the NL East, trailing the Braves by 7 1/2 games for first place.