Nov. 7 (Bloomberg) -- The San Diego Padres exercised their option to keep two-time All-Star outfielder Brian Giles under contract for the 2009 season, Kevin Towers, the team's executive vice president and general manager, said in a press release.

Giles, 37, batted .306 with 40 doubles, four triples, 12 home runs and 63 runs batted in. In 147 Major League Baseball games last season he had 171 hits, the most since 2004 when he had 173, and scored 81 runs.

Among National League hitters, he was eighth in batting average, tied for 10th in walks with 87, sixth in on-base percentage and led the league with six four-hit games.

The Texas Rangers exercised an option on infielder Hank Blalock for next season, the team said in a release.

The 27-year-old player will enter his eighth season with Texas as the team's second-longest tenured player, behind Michael Young. He batted .287 with 12 home runs, 19 doubles and 38 RBIs in 65 games in 2008. Blalock also became the eighth player in franchise history to hit 10 or more homer in six straight seasons.

Blalock, an All-Star in 2003 and 2004, was selected by Texas in the third round of the 1999 June draft.

To contact the reporter on this story: Nancy Kercheval in Washington at nkercheval@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: November 7, 2008 20:24 EST