Rangers pick up Jays catcher Whiteside, sign outfielder

The Texas Rangers have acquired catcher Eli Whiteside on a waiver claim from Toronto.

Texas, which lost All-Star catcher Mike Napoli in free agency, also Wednesday resigned infielder-outfielder Brandon Snyder to a minor league contract with an invitation to major league spring training.

Whiteside has been claimed on waivers by three different clubs this offseason. He had been acquired in a claim by Toronto after he was designated for assignment by the New York Yankees, who got him on a waiver claim from San Francisco.

In 208 major league games with Baltimore (2005) and San Francisco (2009-12), Whiteside has a .224 average with one homer and 20 RBIs. He appeared in 12 games with the Giants last year.

Snyder hit .277 in 40 games for the Rangers last season.

Cubs: Chicago claimed right-handed pitcher Sandy Rosario off waivers Wednesday from the Boston Red Sox.

Rosario has played in parts of three seasons with the Miami Marlins, allowing 13 earned runs in 7 2/3 innings over 10 relief appearances.

Rosario was claimed off waivers by Boston from the Marlins in October and got traded to Oakland last month. The Red Sox acquired him again off waivers Monday.

Dodgers: Los Angeles acquired infielder-out- fielder Skip Schumaker from the Cardinals for minor league infielder Jake Lemmerman.

Schumaker, 32, has split time between second base (412 games) and the outfield (389 games) in his career, appearing at all three outfield positions. Schumaker hit .288 with 23 home runs and 211 RBIs in 810 games from 200512 with the Cardinals.

Yankees: Closer Mariano Rivera expects to be ready by opening day.

“I don’t see why not,” Rivera said Wednesday morning.

Rivera, 43, plans to begin throwing soon in preparation for spring training. His surgically repaired right knee is still not at 100 percent, though Rivera said he is regaining strength.