© Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports
It was no secret at the end of last season that Hunter Pence may have been playing his final games for the San Francisco Giants. Pence gave a rousing, emotional speech to Giants fans on the final day of the season, thanking them for their support over the six-plus years he spent with the team after being traded to the Giants from the Philadelphia Phillies in 2012.
Pence’s eccentric vibe and erratic but powerful style of play resonated with players and fans, along with his iconic speeches, which have become the stuff of Giants lore.
At the end of last season, Pence said he’d work on revamping his swing and went to the Dominican Republic to play winter ball for Toros del Este, where he batted .276 with six RBIs and one home run in eight games. Whether that was enough to prove to major league clubs that he’s deserving of another shot at the top level is unclear, but the Texas Rangers have at least seen something they thought was worth taking a flier on Pence.
According to Alex Pavlovic, Pence signed a minor league contract with Texas Rangers that includes an invitation to spring training.
The Rangers announced they signed Hunter Pence. It's a minor league deal with invite to spring training.
— Alex Pavlovic (@PavlovicNBCS) February 7, 2019