ARLINGTON -- The Rangers had three players selected to the American League All-Star team, but it appears that outfielder Joey Gallo may be the only one able to participate.
Pitcher Mike Minor's altered work schedule won’t allow him to pitch in the All-Star Game, and designated hitter Hunter Pence is the unknown after aggravating his right groin muscle during a rehab assignment game for Double-A Frisco on Monday.
Pence, elected as an American League starter, has been on the injured list since June 17, and he began his rehab assignment on Monday, striking out in his first two at-bats before grounding to third the last time up. Pence felt the groin tighten up again running to first base.
“He definitely re-aggravated the groin,” Rangers manager Chris Woodward said. “It doesn’t feel great. He said it doesn’t feel awful, but it doesn’t feel good.”
Pence underwent another MRI on Tuesday, and the results show no new injury. But Pence has been pulled from his rehab assignment and will continue to be evaluated as the week progresses. Woodward said that it is likely that Pence will not return before the first half ends on Sunday.
“He wants to play and he wants to help the team, but we are trying to be responsible,” Woodward said.
Woodward added that the Rangers are not ruling out Pence at least getting one at-bat in the All-Star Game on Tuesday in Cleveland.
“We’ve got to give him a chance,” Woodward said. “It’s pretty meaningful for him to start the game. We’ll give him the next couple of days and then re-evaluate it on Friday.”
Gallo will play in the game, but both he and the Rangers have decided against him participating in the T-Mobile Home Run Derby. Gallo, who has 20 homers, would be an obvious candidate for the Derby, but he was sidelined from June 2-25 with a strained left oblique muscle, and the Rangers felt that it was too soon for him to get involved in that competition.
“I think that’s probably smart, coming off an oblique,” Gallo said. “I think it’s great that the organization is kind of looking out for my best interests. I really appreciate that. I was contemplating doing it. Obviously, I didn’t think I was going to be playing this well. When I hurt the oblique, I felt like [it's] probably one of those injuries that you don’t really want to test too much in a Home Run Derby.
“If I get out there, I’m going to try to win. So I’m going to be swinging as hard as I can. I think it would look bad if I went out there and re-injured it and had to miss time in the season, which really matters, which I care about the most. After I got hurt from the oblique, it was kind of like, ‘OK, I’m probably not going to do it this year at least.’”
The chance of Minor pitching in the Midsummer Classic was eliminated when his start on Monday was postponed due to the death of Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs. Minor was pushed back to Tuesday, meaning his next start on four days' rest would be Sunday against the Twins.
Major League Baseball does not allow pitchers who start on Sunday to pitch in Tuesday’s All-Star Game. Minor will still attend the event and be introduced with the rest of the AL team.
“The timing of it was, obviously, among a lot of other things, unusual yesterday,” Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said. “It was his start day. He was the only one that wasn’t here yesterday, because the starter comes in later. And now, today is his start day. I don’t think there’s been a lot of discussion about it, but I think he gets it.”
MLB will pick a replacement for Minor, and the Rangers are hoping that Lance Lynn gets consideration. Lynn is 10-4 with a 4.00 ERA in 17 starts. He also has a 1.21 WHIP while averaging 9.83 strikeouts per nine innings. Lynn had a couple of rough starts early in the season, but he is 8-2 with a 3.14 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP in his past 12 games. The righty starts on Thursday against the Angels.
“He has had a really good first half,” Woodward said. “Outside two starts where he gave up some runs, the rest of it has been phenomenal. If you look at some deeper analytical stats, he is one of the best pitchers in baseball. He definitely deserves it.”
If Lynn does not go to the All-Star Game, Woodward said he will pitch against the Astros in the first game of the second half on Thursday, July 11. Minor would pitch the third game that Saturday.