Orioles designate De Aza for assignment; Flaherty in lineup

BALTIMORE (AP) Baltimore outfielder Alejandro De Aza was designated for assignment Wednesday before the Orioles' game against the Astros.

Infielder Ryan Flaherty was activated from the 15-day disabled list after a right groin strain. Flaherty was back in the starting lineup Wednesday, playing second base and batting eighth.

De Aza, 31, batted .214 with three home runs and seven RBIs in 30 games with Baltimore this season. De Aza was earning $5 million this year after losing an arbitration hearing with the Orioles.

''He's going to end up in a better situation,'' Baltimore manager Buck Showalter said about De Aza. ''I feel good for him in the long run. I think he'll understand it as he gets away from it. We know he's capable of better and he'll probably be able to do that somewhere else, but we kind of got into a situation (where) we had to a move.''

Flaherty, 28, appeared in two rehab games with Triple-A Norfolk, going 0 for 5 with three walks, two RBIs and a run scored.

In 13 games with the Orioles this season, Flaherty hit .250 with three doubles, two home runs and four RBIs. Showalter was hopeful the team could have some continuity back in the middle of the infield with the return of Flaherty and shortstop J.J. Hardy.

''It's all tough,'' Showalter said. ''Ryan's healthy and ready to go. We have to make sure that he and J.J. are fine from an infield coverage standpoint, and we've been probably an outfielder heavy. I think in the long run, like I told Alejandro, it's going to work out better for him.''

De Aza was acquired Aug. 30 from the White Sox for a pair of minor league pitchers.