Galaxy gets goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts back

Donovan Ricketts, a Major League Soccer champion and the league’s goalkeeper of the year in his first stay with the Galaxy, is coming back to Southern California after being acquired from Orlando City in a trade Thursday.

The deal was announced a day after the Galaxy severed ties with goalkeeper Jaime Penedo, who was placed on waivers. Orlando City will receive the Galaxy’s second-round pick in the 2016 MLS SuperDraft in exchange for Ricketts, who is expected to be in uniform for the Galaxy’s game in Colorado on Saturday.

Ricketts, a 38-year-old Jamaican, has played in 177 MLS games during his seven-year career. He started 70 regular-season games for the Galaxy, winning an MLS Cup in 2011 and league goalkeeper-of-the-year honors in 2010. He was also chosen the league’s top keeper in 2013, when he was with the Portland Timbers.

Only Kevin Hartman (223 appearances) has played more games in goal for the Galaxy.

After leaving the Galaxy, Ricketts played for Montreal and Portland before landing with expansion Orlando City, starting the team’s first 10 games in place of the injured Tally Hall.

Penedo came to the Galaxy in the summer of 2013. He made 54 starts with the team, posting 17 shutouts, a 25-12-17 record and winning an MLS title.

He last played for the team in a June 27 loss to San Jose before rejoining the Panamanian national team for this month’s CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Unhappy with the club’s refusal to redo a contract that had been revised in February, Penedo asked to be released and the club granted that request.

Penedo was to make $178,125 this season, a raise of $40,000 over last year, according to the MLS players union. His agent, Eddie Rock, declined to comment.
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