Joc Pederson returns to Rangers lineup after missing 52 games with a broken hand
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Joc Pederson returned to the Texas Rangers' lineup Sunday after missing 52 games because of a broken right hand.
Pederson, who joined Texas on a $37 million, two-year contract during free agency in December, was set to bat fifth as the designated hitter in the series finale against the Atlanta Braves.
'We signed Joc to be part of this offense, a big part of this offense, a guy that can hit in the heart of the order, drive in runs,' Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said before Sunday's game. 'He should make us a better offense."
Pederson hit .131 with two home runs and six RBIs in his first 46 games with the Rangers. The two-time World Series champion was at .052 through 19 games after a 0-for-41 slump.
The 33-year-old suffered the broken hand on May 24 when he was hit by a pitch, an 87.5 mph cutter from Chicago White Sox right-hander Bryse Wilson.
Pederson was to make his 39th start, his 37th at DH, with two at first base. Bochy said Pederson again will primarily be a DH.
After being part of the Los Angeles Dodgers' World Series title played at Globe Life Field to end the pandemic-impacted 2020 season, Pederson was with the Braves for their championship the following year.
To make room for Pederson on the active roster, infielder/outfielder Michael Helman was optioned to Triple-A Round Rock.
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
recommended
Item 1 of 3
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
San Francisco Chronicle
2 hours ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Pakistan wins 3rd T20 by 13 runs to clinch a 2-1 series victory over West Indies
LAUDERHILL, Fla. (AP) — Saim Ayub posted a half-century in a 138-run opening stand with Sahibzada Farhan and then took a key wicket as Pakitsan beat West Indies by 13 runs Sunday to clinch the Twenty20 cricket series 2-1. Pakistan posted 189-4 and then bowled tightly enough to restrict West Indies to 176-6. Pakistan's opening partnership ended when Farhan was out for 74 runs in the 17th over, his 53-ball innings finishing when he hit a low full-toss from Shamar Joseph (1-57) directly to Shai Hope at long-off. Ayub continued until the last ball of the penultimate over of Pakistan's innings, when he hit a full ball from Jason Holder (1-34) to Sherfane Rutherford in the covers and was out for 66 from 49 deliveries. West Indies raced to 33-0 after two overs in reply, taking 16 off the first over from Hasan Ali and 17 in the second from Mohammad Nawaz. Haris Rauf slowed the run-rate in the third over, which only went for five runs, and then snared the first West Indies wicket when he had Jewel Andrew (24 from 15 deliveries) caught by Hasan Ali in the fifth over with the total at 44. Alick Athanaze scored 60 from 40 deliveries, sharing further partnerships of 30 with Hope (7) and 36 with Rutherford until he mis-timed a fuller, faster delivery from Ayub and was caught at short thirdman. At that point, West Indies slipped to 110-3 in the 13th over. The series was tied 1-1 going into the decider after Jason Holder took four wickets and then smashed a boundary off the final ball of the second game to lift West Indies to a thrilling two-wicket victory on Saturday. It was the first T20 victory for West Indies in seven matches, a span that included a heavy 5-0 series defeat to Australia, on top of a test series sweep last month. Pakistan won the series-opener by 14 runs. ___
New York Post
3 hours ago
- New York Post
A healthy Luis Gil leaves little to be desired out of Yankees return
Access the Yankees beat like never before Don't miss Greg Joyce's text messages from The Bronx and beyond — he's giving Sports+ subscribers the inside buzz on the Yankees. Sign Up Now MIAMI — About the best thing that can be said about Luis Gil's first start of the season is that there will be a second one. 'I felt really, really good, and that's what's important,' Gil said through an interpreter Sunday after giving up five runs in 3 ¹/₃ innings of a 7-3 loss to the Marlins that chased the Yankees away from south Florida as sweep victims. 'If you've got to take something positive from an outing, today health was big, coming back being healthy. But also the movement of the pitches was there.' Gil was pitching for the Yankees for the first time since he started Game 4 of the World Series against the Dodgers on Oct. 29 at Yankee Stadium. The 2024 American League Rookie of the Year had a spring bullpen session cut short with tightness in his right side on Feb. 28. The next day, an MRI exam revealed a high-grade lat strain. 3 Luis Gil made his first start of the season against the Marlins on Sunday. Sam Navarro-Imagn Images After four minor league rehab appearances, Gil was ready to take the ball and try to help the Yankees salvage a game in this weekend series. He worked around a single and a walk in the first inning, but walked two more to start the second. CHECK OUT THE LATEST MLB STANDINGS AND YANKEES STATS Troy Johnston's double scored the tying run, Xavier Edwards drove in another run with a single and Kyle Stowers drove in Johnston with a sacrifice fly. 3 Luis Gil walks off the field during the fourth inning having thrown 77 pitches. AP In the fourth inning, with the Yankees still trailing 3-1, Gil helped let the game get away. He issued his fourth walk of the afternoon to Graham Pauley and was then removed after giving up a single to Edwards. Brent Headrick came on and served up a three-run homer to Stowers. 'Obviously, a struggle,' Aaron Boone said of Gil's outing. 'Just no real command today. I thought he started to maybe get a little bit of rhythm there in the third [which he ended with two strikeouts], but then that kind of went away. 'He flashed some of his stuff. I thought he did some good things down in the zone, especially with some of their lefties. But just, you know, [he was] too inconsistent with the strike throwing.' 3 Luis Gil had been out since Feb. 28 with a high-grade strain in his lat. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect Gil threw 77 pitches, just short of what pitching coach Matt Blake had said was the target. Of those, 44 were strikes and 33 were balls. Gil threw a first-pitch strike to only eight of the 19 batters he faced. His 10 outs broke down to two grounders, five fly balls and three strikeouts. 'Yeah, definitely the command there didn't help out. That wasn't commanding the way I wanted it,' Gil said. The 27-year-old righty understands the Yankees' situation — in third place in the AL East and second in the AL wild-card race. They sit just 2 ¹/₂ games ahead of the Rangers, who are the first team below the cutoff, heading into the teams' three-game set in Arlington, Texas, beginning Monday. Gil knows there isn't time for him to ramp up slowly as he tries to find last season's form. 'Our team is in a fight and we're going to keep fighting to be where we want to be,' he said. 'I need to make quick adjustments and start helping out this ballclub.'
Washington Post
3 hours ago
- Washington Post
Julio Rodriguez homers for fourth straight 20-20 season as Mariners beat Rangers
SEATTLE — Julio Rodriguez homered to become the first player in major league history with 20 or more home runs and 20 or more stolen bases in each of his first four seasons, and the Seattle Mariners beat the Texas Rangers 5-4 on Sunday. Rodriguez hit a two-run shot in the third inning — his 100th career homer — and the slugging and speedy center fielder also added his 21st stolen base of the season after singling in the fifth inning.
