Pence agrees to minor league deal with hometown Rangers
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - SEPTEMBER 25: Hunter Pence #8 of the San Francisco Giants scores against the San Diego Padres at AT&T Park on September 25, 2018 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) - Hunter Pence has agreed to a minor league contract with his hometown Texas Rangers and will attend major league spring training.
General major Jon Daniels said Thursday that the 35-year-old outfielder, who played winter ball, has a long track record of being a great teammate and is a winning player.
Pence dealt with a thumb injury early last season, when he played 97 games for San Francisco. He hit .226 with four homers and 24 RBIs, all career lows.
The three-time All-Star played at Texas-Arlington, only a few miles from the Rangers home stadium. Houston took him in the second round of the 2004 amateur draft.
Pence is a .280 career hitter in 12 big league seasons with Houston, Philadelphia and San Francisco, where he was part of two World Series championships.