Dodgers acquire Ryan Webb from Orioles for two minor leaguers

The Dodgers have acquired reliever Ryan Webb, catcher Brian Ward and a competitive-balance draft pick (74th overall) from the Orioles in exchange for minor-leaguers Ben Rowen and Chris O'Brien, as first reported by Roch Kubatko of MASN.com. None of the four players involved are on their team's 40-man rosters, but it is expected that Los Angeles will use Webb in the major leagues.

Webb, 29, was recently designated for assignment and outrighted off the Orioles' 40-man roster amid rumors that the team was shopping him and fellow reliever Brian Matusz in trade talks. The righty posted a solid 3.83 ERA in 49.1 innings last season in his only year in an Orioles' uniform, joining Chris Hatcher, Pedro Baez, Joel Peralta and Juan Nicasio on the Dodgers' bullpen mix in the absence of injured relievers Kenley Jansen, Chris Withrow and Brandon League.

Ward, also 29, has never reached the majors and has spent his entire six-year minor-league career in the Orioles' organization. The backstop has hit .227/.330/.286 in 66 games at Triple-A Norfolk over the past two seasons, and is likely to provide catching depth at Triple-A for the Dodgers.

Rowen, 26, made eight appearances in the majors for the Rangers last season and signed a minor-league deal with the Dodgers in January. The reliever posted a solid 3.45 ERA in 34 appearances with Texas' Triple-A affiliate last season, and has a lifetime 21-5 record and 1.72 ERA in five minor-league seasons.

O'Brien, 25, was the Dodgers' eighteenth-round pick in the 2011 draft and has hit .251/.316/.403 in four seasons in the team's minor-league system. He spent last year with Double-A Chattanooga and is likely to provide organizational depth for the O's in place of Ward.