Joc Pederson Returns to Action with the Rangers
Designated hitter Joc Pederson is set to rejoin the Texas Rangers’ lineup this Sunday, after missing 52 games due to a fracture in his right hand. According to Rangers manager Bruce Bochy, Pederson will be activated from the injured list before the final game of the series against the Atlanta Braves, and will assume the designated hitter role. Pederson has already returned to the team’s locker room after participating in two rehabilitation games with the Triple-A Round Rock team.Before his injury, Pederson was batting .131 with two home runs and six RBIs in his first 46 games with the Rangers, after signing a two-year, $37 million contract in December. The 33-year-old, two-time World Series champion, had been hitting .052 in 19 games after an 0-41 slump. The fracture in the hand occurred on May 24, when he was hit by an 87.5 mph pitch from Chicago White Sox right-handed pitcher Bryse Wilson. In his 38 starts, Pederson has been the designated hitter 36 times and has played first base twice. Bochy confirmed that Pederson will primarily play as a designated hitter upon rejoining the team.“He had a lot of at-bats against live pitching. He counts them as at-bats in games, he said he had 18 of them,” Bochy commented. “Either way, with a couple of games there, he said he felt comfortable, saw the ball well, the hand feels good, so we think he’s ready to play.”
Bruce Bochy, Rangers Manager
