The Rangers on Thursday began the rush to the trading deadline by sending right-hander Dane Dunning to Atlanta for reliever José Ruiz and cash considerations. The Rangers are believed to have netted a small financial savings, which could come in handy if the club chooses to pursue a late-inning reliever.

In order to pry Dane Dunning away from the Texas Rangers, the Atlanta Braves agreed to part ways with relief pitcher José Ruiz, plus cash considerations.

The move comes two weeks before the MLB trade deadline, which is on July 31, where many speculated that the Braves could be sellers. Atlanta, 42-53, is 9.5 games out of the final Wild Card spot in the National League and could look to offload some of their pricier rentals.