• Right-hander Eric Hurley has elected free agency according to the MLB.com's transactions page. The Angels called him up earlier this month but he did not appear in a game. The 26-year-old Hurley signed a minor league deal with the Halos this offseason and pitched to a 5.81 ERA in 18 starts for their Triple-A affiliate this summer.
• The Braves have released Adam Russell according to the International League transactions page. Atlanta signed the 29-year-old righty to a minor league pact this winter but he posted a 7.28 ERA in 38 1/3 innings for their Triple-A affiliate. Russell owns a 3.95 ERA in 86 2/3 big league innings with the White Sox, Padres, and Rays.
• The Athletics have released Luke Hughes according to the Pacific Coast League transactions page. Oakland designated the infielder for assignment back in April. Hughes, 27, had one single in 13 plate appearances for the A's this year while hitting .223/.316/.338 in 152 minor league plate appearances.
• The Cardinals have released Brian Broderick according to Derrick Goold of The St. Louis Post-Dispatch (on Sulia). The 25-year-old right-hander posted a 7.32 ERA in 78 2/3 innings for the team's Triple-A affiliate. Broderick appeared in eleven games for the Nationals last year as a Rule 5 Draft pick.

• Luke Hughes has cleared waivers and accepted his assignment to Triple-A, he tweeted. The Athletics designated the infielder for assignment earlier this week. Hughes, 27, has hit .130/.125/.130 in 24 plate appearances with the Twins and A's this year.

The Twins designated Hughes for assignment two weeks into the season and the A's claimed him off of waivers. The 27-year-old native of Australia has a .218/.277/.331 line in 348 career plate appearances, including this season's slow start. Hughes has just three hits in 24 plate appearances for the Twins and A's so far in 2012.

The A's designated fellow Australian Rich Thompson for assignment after claiming him from the Angels. A third Australian-born player, Grant Balfour, remains in place as Oakland's closer.

Hughes, a native of Australia, signed with the Twins as a free agent back in 2002. Because he was out of options, Minnesota designated the 27-year-old for assignment last week after just 11 plate appearances this season in an attempt to send him to Triple-A Rochester.

Hughes has appearead in parts of three seasons for the Twins, seeing time at third base, second base, and first base. Over his brief Major League career (335 plate appearances), the righty is a .224/.285/.342 hitter. He's fared better in the minor leagues, hitting .257/.319/.440 over parts of four Triple-A seasons. Perhaps Hughes' best asset in the minors was his ability to hit left-handed pitching, but that has yet to show in his Major League career.

The Athletics recently claimed fellow Australian Rich Thompson off waivers from the Angels, and have another Australian, Grant Balfour, currently installed as their closer.

Hughes, 27, has hit .224/.285/.342 in 335 career plate appearances. He's spent time at every infield spot other than shortstop and is a .268/.330/.419 career hitter in the minors. Hughes is out of options and could not be sent to the minors without first clearing waivers.

Marquis will be making his first start for the Twins tonight. He made a pair of tune-up starts at Double-A after spending time away from the team because his daughter was in a bicycle accident near the end of Spring Training.