BALTIMORE (Reuters) - Buck Showalter has been hired as manager of the struggling Baltimore Orioles and now has the task of trying to turn around a team that owns Major League Baseball's worst record this season.

Orioles president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail confirmed the hiring of Showalter, a former American League manager of the year, in a report posted on the team's website (http://baltimore.orioles.mlb.com/).

The 54-year-old Showalter will replace interim manger Juan Samuel, who compiled a 16-31 record since taking over for Dave Trembley in early June after the Orioles got off to their worst start in more than two decades.

The Orioles (31-70) are stuck in last place overall and on pace for their 13th consecutive losing season.

Showalter had a 882-833 record as a manager during stints with the New York Yankees (1992-1995), Arizona Diamondbacks (1998-2000) and Texas Rangers (2003-2006).

He was the American League manager of the year in 1994 and 2004 and most recently worked as a baseball analyst for ESPN.

(Writing by Gene Cherry in Raleigh, North Carolina; Editing by Frank Pingue)