The Texas Rangers received some bad news concerning designated hitter Joc Pederson. Per MLB.com’s Kennedi Landry, manager Bruce Bochy said Pederson, who left Saturday’s game against the Chicago White Sox after two at-bats, has a right hand fracture.
Bad Break for Pederson
Pederson was hit by a pitch from White Sox righty Bryse Wilson. He stayed in the game, and even scored a run, but was eventually replaced in the lineup by Kyle Higashioka.
Joc Pederson is slashing .131/.269/.238 through 46 games. His struggles included an 0-for-41 streak, which was the longest drought in franchise history. Now, he will have to deal with this injury, which could cost him a minimum of six weeks on the injured list.
“It didn’t feel good,” Pederson, whose fracture is in his fifth metacarpal knuckle, said to Landry. “It was making a weird clicking sound that didn’t seem right. But I told them I could run in and figure it out after that.”
Other Options
Higashioka could be a candidate to fill in for Pederson at DH on days when he isn’t catching. Higashioka has posted a .224/.253/.329 slash line with one home run and nine RBI.
Other than that, the Rangers don’t have many options for a Pederson replacement. However, it is worth noting that Corey Seager (hamstring) and Evan Carter (quad) are both nearing returns.
Bochy’s Thoughts
Bochy spoke to reporters about Pederson’s predicament after the game on Sunday. “That’s a bad break there,” Bochy said. “We’ve had tough luck keeping guys on the field, and he’s looking to be out for a while.”
He also commented on the situation at DH. “We have the guys that can do it,” Bochy said. “You go through these things, and good teams come out of it. We’re a good team, and I really believe that we’re going to come out of this.”
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