Oswalt joins Phillies as trade deadline looms

Houston pitcher Roy Oswalt agreed Thursday to waive a no-trade clause in his contract that resulted in his being traded to two-time defending National League champion Philadelphia.

The 32-year-old right-handeder is expected to throw for the Phillies on Friday when they open a three-game Major League Baseball stand at Washington.

Oswalt's deal could be the biggest swap ahead of Saturday's Major League Baseball non-waiver trade deadline, giving the Phillies, 55-46, a boost as they try to climb from 3 1/2 games behind Atlanta in the NL East division.

Oswalt has 143 triumphs and a 3.24 earned-run average with 1,593 strikeouts since making his major league debut in 2001. He was 6-12 this season with a 3.24 earned-run average for the Astros.

The Phillies, who have won seven games in a row, sent pitcher J.A. Happ and two minor-league players to the Astros in exchange for the three-time All-Star.

Oswalt joins a Phillies pitching rotation that already includes Roy Halladay and ranks seventh in the National League with a 3.99 earned-run average.

The Astros have fielded offers for more than two months since Oswalt said he wanted to be traded to a title contender.

Oswalt is set to be paid five million dollars for the remainder of the 2010 campaign, 16 million dollars for next year in the final season of his contract and there is a club option to keep him in 2012 for another 16 million dollars.