The club announced the deal. It's Double-A prospects Evan Reed and Omar Poveda for Jorge Cantu and cash. Cantu is expected to join the Rangers in Anaheim on Friday.

The move gives the Rangers a right-handed bat that can play in place of Chris Davis at first base against lefties and a player that can step in for the injured Ian Kinsler at second base if needed. Kinsler was put on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left groin on Thursday, meaning the earliest he can return is Aug. 12. It's also worth noting that Mitch Moreland is starting at first base tonight. It will be interesting to see what roster move the club makes to get Cantu on the 25-man roster. Brandon McCarthy is going on the 60-day disabled list to make room on the 40-man for Cantu.

Cantu, 28, is hitting .261 with 10 homers and 54 RBIs in 97 games this season. The McAllen, Texas, native has spent most of 2010 at third base, but has 42 at-bats at first base this season with 40 games played, seven of them starts.

Cantu has played a fair numbers of games at first the past few seasons. He also has experience at second base, though he hasn’t played the position since a few games in 2007. He did start in 103 games at second base for Tampa Bay in 2006.

Cantu is hitting .253 in 87 at-bats against left-handed pitching. Davis is just 4-for-27 against lefties this season.

Reed, a reliever, has pitched in 30 games (39 innings) for Double-A Frisco and has a 1.62 ERA with 34 strikeouts and 13 walks. Poveda hasn’t played this season and remains on the 60-day disabled list following Tommy John surgery. He was 11-5 with a 4.14 ERA in 22 starts (130 1/3 innings) for Frisco last season and also made one start in Triple-A Oklahoma City.