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DENVER (AP) — The Colorado Rockies have signed former AL MVP Jason Giambi to a minor league contract.

The 38-year-old Giambi will report to Triple-A Colorado Springs, hoping for a September call-up to help the Rockies with their pennant push. Colorado went into Monday with a three-game lead in the NL wild-card race.

Giambi was cut by Oakland earlier this month after hitting .193 with 11 home runs and 40 RBIs. He had been on the disabled list because of a strained right quadriceps before the A's released him, cutting short the struggling slugger's return to his first major league club.

A five-time All-Star, Giambi had returned to Oakland this season after seven pressure-packed years with the New York Yankees.

Although he has played all 1,933 games of his career for American League teams, Giambi owns a .274 batting average with 44 home runs and 137 RBIs in 193 games against National League clubs in his 15-year career.