The Astros have made an offer to free-agent outfielder/designated hitter Hunter Pence, FOX 26’s Mark Berman reports (via Twitter). Pence said recently that he intends to continue playing in 2020 and has spoken to multiple clubs about a deal. The Giants are another rumored suitor for the affable 36-year-old.
Pence, 37 in April, was a finalist for American League Comeback Player of the Year honors in 2019 after he posted an outstanding .297/.358/.552 batting line with 18 home runs, 17 doubles, a triple and even six steals in 316 plate appearances with his hometown Rangers. Groin and back injuries limited him to about a half season’s worth of games, but Pence was unequivocally excellent when healthy enough to step into the Texas lineup.
Latching on with the Rangers would represent a different kind of homecoming for Pence, who was Houston’s second-round pick back in 2004 and spent the first seven-plus seasons of his professional career with the ’Stros. Pence made his MLB debut with Houston back in 2007 and finished third in Rookie of the Year voting behind Ryan Braun and Troy Tulowitzki (when Houston was still an NL club). He’s gone on to appear in four All-Star Games (including 2019) and win a pair of World Series titles as a member of the Giants.
Pence would surely be utilized in a part-time role in Houston, given the stacked nature of their lineup. But his right-handed bat would pair well with lefty-swinging outfield/DH options like Josh Reddick, Kyle Tucker, Michael Brantley and Yordan Alvarez. He’d provide some insurance against an injury to any of the club’s outfield starters and, of course, bring one of the game’s most unique and respected personalities to the Houston clubhouse on the heels of a tumultuous offseason.
Houston already projects to be in the second bracket of luxury tax penalization, so adding Pence would mean paying a 32 percent overage fee on any money guaranteed to him. But, as a soon-to-be 37-year-old coming off an injury-plagued season and looking at a part-time role in 2020, Pence shouldn’t come with a particularly burdensome price tag in the first place.
Bang Bang
Get it done Astros.
Bzzzzzzzzzz
Not that I can talk I’m a Red Sox fan but it’s still funny to joke about for both teams
Pence must be desperate for a contract if he’s considering sign with the Lepers of MLB……
He still has a place in Houston and owns a coffee shop in the city.
…as opposed to your current situation?
he began his career there and lives in Texas
Do you want a box of tissues ???
Lol just got off winning 107 games and knocking out the Yankees yet again, but alright.
You mean the reigning AL Champs empire 😉
That’s still one of the 2 best teams in the AL (and one of the 3 best in the league)
Hunter Pence jobs to Fit Finlay
Lol
I hate you
At 37 years of age I guess he doesn’t have many options, but the cheating Astros? Ugh.
if they sell the team and replace all the staff you’d probably still call them cheaters. we know it happened. the culprits were punished. the end.
B.S. No culpability from the player or owner. It’s not over. You must be an Astros fan given your lack of thinking skills on the matter.
I wouldn’t say Crane knew. Do you think he’d have allowed it? Seems too smart… he and Luhnow. This was some low brow cheating going on.
not even going to argue that the owner was punsihed because its been explained so many times on this site. as fot the players, they didn’t just cause a coup here. the staff were the ones who created the scheme and the players work for the team. we also dont have any proof that any of the players did it. the biggest offenders here were the ones behind it, and they’re gone or punished in another way.
I guess you haven’t seen the buzzer scheme
I like what Len Barker said at Cleveland’s Tribe Fest:
If you were playing today and ran into the Astros cheating, what would you think? “If I would have been out while it was happening I would have been drilling their guys for sure. It’s just like taking steroids, it’s the same thing. They should be banning these guys who are doing something more. They cheated (to try) to win the World Series. They didn’t really need to, they had a great team.”
“We don’t have any proof that any of the players did it.”
What?!
This must be the account of Jesus since you are so perfect.
Culprits were punished????? How long is Bregman’s suspension? Springer’s? Don’t make me laugh, NONE of the players who cheated have been reprimanded in ANY way….
That is the very definition of IMMUNITY granted by the MLBPA. Direct your hate toward them, not elsewhere.
No “my hate” is also directed at ass clowns without a scintilla of thinking skills. OMG.
You really can’t blame the players here. It’s not like they can wear earplugs while up to bat. Once you know, you know, you can’t unlearn it. They only way to combat the plan would’ve been to miss the pitch on purpose, which is also dishonest. FYI, not an Astros fan. It seems like everyone that wants the players punished don’t have a bit of common sense or logic in their thinking.
Yea, it’s ok to tell a kid (or anyone else) cheat, and don’t get caught, but if you do get caught admit to it and you’ll be spared as long as you can negotiate the promise of immunity. Nice.
Good. Your hate only makes us stronger.
Wear earplugs?!? They were wearing buzzers lol
And I’m sure the Astros still give Altuve $151M after his MVP season if they know he cheated…
Yeah that sounds like a common scenario. Just thinking of all those times I was offered immunity as a kid. At least once a week. Good grief you’re an angry little incel.
why are twins fans so bitter? lol y’all cant even beat the yankees
It’s ok, empire and David don’t have jobs or a life. All they do is post negative comments on this site lol, what a fantastic life to live worrying about others who are enjoying their life and winning baseball games.
Back 100 years ago the black Sox threw a World Series and 8 players were band from baseball for ever. Tell me the difference between those 8 players and who gives a chit how many on the Astros team who also cheated to win a World Series. I’m a Red Sox fan for 50 years. If they say my team cheated I say ban the bunch of idiots For life. Same goes for the Astros
Completely different. The White Sox threw games on purpose for gambling purposes. The Astros were trying to gain additional information on pitches to win games. EVERY MLB team tries to steals signs; however, it is usually done by a runner on 2nd base and not using technology. I agree they tarnished the game by doing this, but the players should not be suspended. Regardless of who thought up the scheme, this was 100% on the managers (Cora & Hinch) to stop it and they didn’t; end of story. Players will take any advantage they can to try and perform better. Again, this clearly crossed a big line but 100% of the blame falls directly on the coaching staff and MLB acted appropriately if you ask me.
@DTDAtl Alex Bregman needs to hold his mommy’s hand when crossing the street, and keep a sharp eye on Jose Altuve before he tears off his poopy diaper and runs down the hallway with it screaming. These players are like little goo goo ga ga babies with no responsibility.
And you are satisfied with that.
All it would have taken was one player with an ounce of integrity to say ‘quit banging the damn trash can when I’m hitting’…how hard would that have been? Players are guilty, they cheated and should have consequences fitting their actions
“Evil will always triumph because good is dumb.” – Dark Helmet
perfect move for both sides if it’s a one-year MLB contract
I would prefer a minor league contract for depth.
Really I have to deal with the Astros taking the player that the Rangers turned back the clock on!? I love Pence and hope he thrives anywhere, but really!?
Wow he could’ve and would’ve done that with any AL team
How do you know that he just needed to play DH to get better? He played the outfield part time with Texas and still hit during those games.
“Astros taking” free agent Hunter Pence
Split time with Tucker?
Enough with these keyboard jockey crybabies whining about Pence signing with the Astros.
He wants to play baseball and they are the only ones offering a contract so far so yea I don’t blame him. Plus if you’re mad about the fact he’s not going to your team then be mad at your GM but lay off Pence.
Where have you read that no one else is willing to offer him a contract? There’s still plenty of time for more offers
Funny the Article actually says the Giants are also interested
There’s a difference between being interested and someone offering a contract
Always liked Pence and can see why he’d like to go home. Sleep in your own bed, be around family and friends. No state income tax can’t hurt, either.
Plus he’d have a legitimate chance at winning another ring in perhaps his last season.
Good take, I just wish that the Rangers needed another DH / corner outfielder, but we don’t.
Or he can come to Anaheim. We can definitely find 300 at bats for him while still giving plenty of playing time to Upton, Addel, and Goodwin. Along with the GOAT himself. Pence at DH would be nice too, Pujols should only be getting 300 AB’s at most anyways.
Texas > California
Anywhere > California
5 teams = California
Shut your mouth with that goat stuff. Long, long way to go before he enters that conversation
Trout > Jeter.
Trout is the GOAT
Trout is the GLOAT
(Greatest Loser Of All Time)
Lol! Jeter isn’t even in the conversation for greatest of all time.
The Astros need to seriously look at giving Tucker a full time role as Left Fielder. Look what full time play did for J.D Davis in N.Y. Quit having Tucker be on the bench with limited AB’s, it’s only making him worse. He should’ve been the starter in 19′ when they should’ve traded Reddick.
Reddick for Eovaldi? Assuming Betts is traded and the Red Sox don’t acquire a left handed hitting OF.
that’s actually a constructive comment. well done!
Tucker needed seasoning or else he would have come up prior to Yordan
Brantley plays LF, so maybe you mean RF??? I wish they would get rid of Reddick and give Tucker the everyday RF job!
Ken Rosenthal reports that Pence is actually going to retire and that the contract offer is to be Houston’s official trash can banger.
[crickets]
Latching on with the (RANGERS) would represent a different kind of homecoming for Pence, who was Houston’s second-round pick…
I’m guessing it’s a major league deal worth about 4M plus incentives.
Thought he’d be a good platoon option for the White Sox in right field with Mazara.
Is the offer a garbage can full of cash?
Pence going to Houston would be a homecoming in the sense that was his first professional franchise to play for, but Pence played high school and college ball down the street from Rangers’ stadium.
Washed up players. Any players on the current Astros roster, will finish their careers with that team. No other team would want a cheater. It would crate to much friction for the honorable decent players.
Dream on. If Altuve or Bregman are made available at the end of this year all 31 teams would be lining up to sign them immediately and pay them top dollar to do so! Actually, make that about 23-24 teams (any team not trying to tank on purpose like Balt, Pitt, KC etc..).
The responsibility of keeping the game honest and following league rules lies 100% with the manager and his staff. This entire (and unnecessary) charade could have been stopped from day 1 if Hinch had any balls. He allowed this to happen in his dugout and he paid the ultimate price for doing so. This was a TEAM issue, not a player issue (like PEDs, DV, corked bat, pine tar, etc) regardless of who thought it up. No player will be affected monetarily or employment wise from this, but good luck to the managerial staff trying to find jobs in the future. MLB got this right, but I think the suspensions could have been longer; maybe Cora’s will be. A simple NO by Cora or Hinch and this never would have happened.
That’s why nobody signed Gerrit Cole, I guess.
Lol. No way you actually believe that? Everyone of the all stars on that team would have multiple offers. The trash can banging didn’t make them all stars. They were all really good players before and will be after. Now players like Marwin might be a different story.
Well…bang the trash can.
Wow such negativity over a little use of cameras and trash cans. Every team tries to get an advantage, most fail miserably. Astros just refined it a little more than anyone else did but got caught. Even so it still doesn’t let them hit better, just gave them idea what was coming, they still had to hit it. I doubt it changed the outcome of many, of any, games.
Terms of contract have not officially been disclosed, but are reportedly $500k, one garbage can and 3 buzzers.
There are gonna be a LOT of ticked off folks in the wine & cheese crowd if Pence chooses HOU over the Giants.
Pence would be a great signing for the Astros.
Somebody is going for pitching in the outfield. Reddick probably.
Can play corner OF and DH option. Would be a nice addition for depth