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FORT WORTH, Texas — A federal bankruptcy judge ordered the Texas Rangers and their angry creditors into mediation Thursday, pushing any resolution of the long-delayed sale dangerously close to a deadline that could be crucial to the team's playoff hopes.

U.S. Bankruptcy Judge D. Michael Lynn ruled that both sides will meet July 16 to hammer out issues over the Rangers' bankruptcy plan to pay creditors $75 million and sell the club to a group led by Nolan Ryan, the Hall of Fame pitcher and team president, and Pittsburgh attorney Chuck Greenberg.

Lynn delayed until July 22 a hearing on whether to approve the plan. That hearing, initially set for two weeks earlier, is much closer to the July 31 nonwaiver trading deadline.

The Rangers are leading the American League West and have one of the best records in baseball. A pending sale could affect any trade plans to bolster a pennant run.

Lynn's order comes two days after he ruled that the Rangers' ownership and their creditors were adversely affected by the plan. He said to avoid lenders' killing the plan, the Rangers would have to restore some of their rights but would not have to give them more money.

The team has said it was confident that those changes could be made and that no lenders could block a revised plan. Now it's unclear if the Rangers will submit a modified plan before mediation.

ORIOLES: A week after publicly questioning the team's direction and its offensive approach, Orioles right fielder Nick Markakis met with principal owner Peter Angelos on Thursday afternoon to air those concerns.

The meeting, which lasted about an hour and a half at a Little Italy restaurant, was requested by Markakis, who hadn't had an extensive conversation with the owner during his eight years in the organization.

"I wanted to give him my input and tell him the things I thought we lacked and needed, and what we needed to change," said Markakis, 26, the team's highest-paid player and the second-longest-tenured member of the club behind injured second baseman Brian Roberts.

"He was completely open to anything. He was listening, and he was a lot easier to talk to than I anticipated. You know me, sometimes you'll have a better conversation with the wall than talking to me. But it went a lot better and it was a lot smoother than I thought it was going to go. If I can strike up a conversation and talk to a guy like him who owns the team, I think it is a good situation."

RED SOX: Mike Lowell was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a right hip injury Thursday and the Boston Red Sox filled his roster spot by reinstating right-hander Daisuke Matsuzaka.

Matsuzaka was scheduled to start against Colorado on Thursday night.

Matsuzaka had been out since June 8 after straining his forearm. It was his second stint on the DL this season — he missed the first 23 games of the year with a neck injury.

The 36-year-old Lowell said he tweaked his hip while taking swings in the batting cage during Tuesday's game against Colorado. It's the same hip he had surgically repaired in October 2008, due to a torn labrum.

PHILLIES: Philadelphia Phillies reliever Chad Durbin has been placed on the 15-day disabled list with a right hamstring strain.

Durbin left Wednesday night's game against the Indians after he was injured attempting to field a bunt from Cleveland's Anderson Hernandez leading off the ninth inning. The Phillies purchased the contract of Nelson Figueroa to take his spot on Thursday.

Durbin said after game that he didn't "blow out" the hamstring. The 32-year-old is 0-1 with a 3.31 ERA in 29 appearances this season, holding opponents to a .237 average.

Philadelphia's bullpen has been hit by injuries this season. Closer Brad Lidge missed nearly two months with right elbow inflammation and Ryan Madson is out with a broken toe, though he participated in fielding drills this week.

Padres: The San Diego Padres are sending catcher Dusty Ryan back to Triple-A Portland.

Ryan was recalled from the Pacific League club Tuesday when catcher Yorvit Torrealba started serving a three-game suspension, which ended Thursday, for making contact with an umpire.

Also, Padres manager Bud Black said infielder Everth Cabrera, who has missed the past 27 games with a strained right hamstring, will rejoin the team Friday. Cabrera has been on a rehab assignment with Portland.

RAYS: Tampa Bay All-Star left fielder Carl Crawford left Thursday's game against San Diego because of a sore left shoulder and could be out of the lineup for a couple days.

"I don't think it's anything long term," Rays manager Joe Maddon said after a 5-3 victory over the Padres. "He probably will not play (Friday). I don't know about his availability."

Crawford grounded out in the first inning Thursday and left one inning later. He hurt the shoulder making a throw to the plate Wednesday.

"Right now my shoulder is a little sore," Crawford said after Thursday's game. "We just want to treat it and try to get it well. I tried to get it loose and get ready for the game, but it was one of those things it wasn't felling better so I just came out."

The AL player of the week for the period that ended June 20 has nine hits in his last 20 at-bats. Crawford is among the leaders in the majors this season with 26 stolen bases.

"It's very frustrating because I don't like to miss games," Crawford said. "It shouldn't be anything major, I hope."

Also, Tampa Bay optioned catcher Dioner Navarro to Triple-A Durham and recalled outfielder Matt Joyce from the International League club.

The Rays had been carrying three catchers.