ARLINGTON -- Rangers designated hitter Hunter Pence worked hard to revive his career this season and was rewarded by being elected to the American League’s starting lineup for the All-Star Game.
But his strained right groin muscle is not going to allow him to play. Pence, who has been on the injured list since June 17, will be replaced by Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts in next Tuesday’s All-Star Game.
Pence was selected as an All-Star for the fourth time and refused to view his inability to play as a disappointment.
“None at all,” Pence said. “I put everything in to playing every day. It’s part of the job, these things happen and they are great lessons. It’s still an absolute honor to go. I would have loved to have played but we are right on that cusp where I’m so close to getting back.”
Pence injured his leg in a game against the Reds on June 16 and appeared ready to be activated this week. But he re-aggravated it on Monday while playing for Double-A Frisco on medical rehabilitation assignment. That eliminated any chance of playing on Tuesday in Cleveland, although Pence is planning on attending the All-Star festivities.
“We felt it was the right thing to do not to play in the game,” manager Chris Woodward said. “I preferred him not to play in the game, but I didn’t want to tell him not to play in the All-Star Game. He earned that starting job.”
Pence has been a great story for the Rangers since coming to camp on a Minor League contract. In 55 games, he is hitting .294 with 15 home runs, 48 RBIs and a .608 slugging percentage. The Rangers are hoping Pence will be back soon after the All-Star break, although he will likely try to play a few games on medical rehabilitation assignment before he comes back.
“The main focus is to play in the regular-season games, giving everything we have to making a playoff run and chasing a dream of winning a World Series,” Pence said. “It starts with being healthy and it is a bit of a risk to playing when I am not quite ready yet.”
Bush to undergo Tommy John surgery
Right-hander Matt Bush, who was close to making it back to the Major Leagues, has suffered a torn ligament in his right elbow and will undergo Tommy John elbow reconstruction surgery.
Bush underwent surgery on Sept. 19 last year to repair a partial tear in the tendon and had pitched in nine games at Frisco with a 1.04 ERA. But he felt more tightness in the elbow after pitching back-to-back games on June 29-30 and an MRI revealed a complete tear.
Bush pitched for the Rangers in each of the previous three seasons and Woodward said he is close to being called up to the Majors again.
“Real close,” Woodward said. “It stinks. It was tough to hear because he was real close. We were debating when it would be the right time.”
Valdez replaces Fairbanks
The Rangers made another bullpen move on Wednesday, calling up right-hander Phillips Valdez and optioning right-hander Peter Fairbanks to Triple-A Nashville.
This is Valdez’s second tour with the Rangers. He pitched two scoreless innings against the Athletics in the first game of a doubleheader on June 8. Valdez had been called up that day from Nashville to be the Rangers' 26th player for the twin bill.
The right-hander made an appearance in Texas' 6-2 defeat to the Angels on Wednesday, throwing 2 2/3 scoreless innings with three strikeouts.
Fairbanks was called up on June 8 after a meteoric rise through the Rangers' system this season, beginning at Class A Advanced Down East, then to Double-A Frisco and Triple-A Nashville. In 21 Minor League appearances, he had a 2.35 ERA, a 0.87 WHIP and averaged 14.1 strikeouts per nine innings. He pitched three scoreless innings over his first two appearances for the Rangers, but then allowed 10 runs over 5 2/3 innings in his last six outings.
Rangers beat:
• Catcher Isiah Kiner-Falefa is 1-for-5 with a double, two RBIs, a walk and a stolen base in two games at Triple-A Nashville. He caught five innings on Tuesday night as he draws closer to returning after placed on the injured list on June 7 with a sprained middle finger on his right hand.
• Right-hander Kyle Dowdy, the Rule 5 Draft pick who is on the injured list with a right elbow impingement, threw two scoreless innings for Nashville on Tuesday.
• The Rangers' 9-4 loss to the Angels on Tuesday took four hours and 12 minutes to play. It was the fifth- longest nine-inning game in club history.