MLB notebook: Rangers' Pence heads to IL

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[June 18, 2019]    The Texas Rangers placed outfielder Hunter Pence on the 10-day injured list Monday because of a strained right groin.

Texas Rangers left fielder Hunter Pence (24) makes a leaping catch during the first inning against the Oakland Athletics at Globe Life Park in Arlington. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Pence sustained the injury Sunday against the Cincinnati Reds, when he was playing right field and chasing Jose Peraza's hit into the corner in the fifth inning. He pulled up near the line as the ball landed and bounced into the stands for a ground-rule double.

An MRI exam Monday revealed the strain. Pence, 36, is hitting .294 with 15 home runs and 48 RBIs in 55 games this season, his first with the Rangers after signing as a free agent from the San Francisco Giants.

He is second to Boston's J.D. Martinez at designated hitter in the first round of All-Star voting in the American League.

--San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado was suspended one game and fined an undisclosed amount for "aggressively arguing and making contact with" an umpire Saturday, MLB announced.

The suspension was to be served Monday night, with the Padres hosting the Milwaukee Brewers, but it will be delayed after Machado chose to appeal. He told reporters before the game he didn't believe he made contact with umpire Bill Welke, who ejected Machado in the top of the fifth inning in Saturday's game against the Colorado Rockies in Denver.

"I didn't touch him. I didn't think I touched him. Video says it all," Machado said of the encounter. .".. I think we've got a good case. I don't think anyone's ever gotten suspended a game for arguing balls and strikes."

--In the span of a week, the New York Yankees' lineup could get a complete makeover with the addition of American League home run leader Edwin Encarnacion and the healthy return of outfielders Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge.

Encarnacion, acquired from the Seattle Mariners, was in the lineup Monday night against the Tampa Bay Rays as the Yankees returned home from a road trip for what is setting up as an explosive homestand. Batting fifth as New York's designated hitter, he went 0-for-4 in the Yankees' 3-0 win.

The homestand may include more fireworks because the usual middle-of-the-order bombers, Stanton and Judge, are close to being on the field at Yankee Stadium. For Stanton, that will happen Tuesday. Judge is close, and could be back with the team by the end of the weekend after not stepping to the plate since the opening series of the season against the Baltimore Orioles.

--With just days remaining until the end of the first-round of All-Star voting, a pair of Los Angeles outfielders continue to lead.

Cody Bellinger of the Dodgers leads all vote-getters with 2,184,251, and the Angels' Mike Trout tops the American League balloting with 1,904,273.

New voting rules have divided the balloting into rounds. At the conclusion of the first round, which ends Friday, the top three players at each position -- nine in the outfield -- will move on to the next round of balloting with the vote tally starting over.

--Field Level Media

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