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ARLINGTON -- Joc Pederson walked around the Rangers’ clubhouse at Globe Life Field, holding half of a bat in his left hand on Thursday afternoon. This bat, he said, was about 12 ounces, instead of the typical 33 ounces of an MLB bat. That’s a relevant, important step for Pederson as he hopes to return to the Rangers' lineup in the final 10 days of the season despite batting through a left hand fracture. Pederson was struck by a 93.3 mph four-seamer from Arizona starter Brandon Pfaadt in the fifth inning of a win on Saturday. He initially stayed in the game to run the bases after a lengthy meeting with manager Skip Schumaker and head athletic trainer Matt Lucero at first base. He was removed for a pinch-hitter later in the game, and initial X-rays were negative, but additional scans with a hand specialist ultimately showed a left hand fracture. Pederson has not appeared in a game since leaving that matchup with Arizona, though the Rangers have faced a string of left-handed starters, when he would not have started anyway. |
Holding a bat, however light, brings him one step closer to contributing to the Rangers’ final push to the postseason. “I tried [to hold a bat] yesterday, and I couldn't do it,” Pederson said. “I've been doing a hyperbaric chamber and some other things that are hopefully speeding up the recovery. And today I was able to do it. So I don't know what is helping, but I'm kind of throwing everything at it. There’s been a lot of improvement from yesterday to today. I still don't know where that puts me swinging a real bat with real balls, but considering where it was four days ago, it is in a lot better spot.” Pederson missed time in 2025, his first season with the Rangers, due to a right hand fracture after being similarly hit by a pitch. Pederson is one half of the Rangers’ DH platoon with right-handed hitter Justin Foscue, having slashed .245/.338/.496 with 25 homers against right-handed pitching this season. |
So will Joc Pederson take another at-bat for the Texas Rangers this season? In short, there’s optimism. But optimism isn’t definitive. Once the swelling goes down completely, it’s all about pain tolerance. Pederson said on Thursday it’s more like a dull pain than the sharp feeling he had earlier in the week. Nothing he does will make the fracture worse than it already is, Pederson explained. “Today was a much better day,” Schumaker reiterated on Thursday. “He held a bat -- albeit it was a Wiffle ball bat -- in his hand. That was a good sign. He was moving it around. It was a much better day than it was yesterday. So if we keep having these significant improvements, not just little improvements, then I'm very optimistic. Again, it's a pain tolerance thing. He has a fracture in his wrist. But the swelling was the main thing and that has gone down. So again, a much better day than it was yesterday.” |
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MLB MORNING LINEUP PODCAST |
RANGERS' MINOR LEAGUE AWARD WINNERS |
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Player of the Year – INF Rafe Perich (Rangers’ No. 19 prospect, per MLB Pipeline) Pitcher of the Year – LHP Dalton Pence (No. 10) Reliever of the Year – LHP Louis Marinaro Defender of the Year – INF Yolfran Castillo (No. 5) True Ranger Award – RHP Evan Siary |
BLUE JAYS-RANGERS SERIES CRUCIAL FOR PLAYOFF HOPES |
With just nine games left in the regular season, this weekend’s series between the Rangers (76-77) and Blue Jays (76-77) could swing both the American League West and Wild Card races. “That's what's so much fun about coming to the ballpark,” Schumaker said. “You're just locked in on all these games. I just love this time of year in general. I think for the fans it's a fun time to come to the ballpark, because so much is on the line. Every game is huge. ... I'm very blessed that we're part of that [playoff] conversation. Again, that's why it makes it fun to come to the yard.” For the Blue Jays, it’s Wild Card or bust. This season has been a disappointment in so many ways, coming off last year’s run to Game 7 of the World Series, but the door is still cracked open for them to sneak into the dance. “We have work to do,” said Max Scherzer, one of the Blue Jays’ emotional leaders and a former Rangers pitcher. “It takes all of us, not only the starting staff, but the bullpen, the hitters. We have to win ballgames. Our backs are against the wall. We’ve got to come out fighting and clawing, and keep finding ways to win ballgames.” Let’s dive in... |
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