Pence RBI single pic.twitter.com/gnb67i4njY
— John Shea (@JohnSheaHey) March 2, 2020
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — They’re back. He’s back.
Hunter Pence’s first start back in a Giants uniform saw him get two at-bats — the second of which ending with a single slapped to left-center, driving in one and putting wheels on a Panda.
Pablo Sandoval, on first, chugged all the way to third, the DH looking spry and healthy around the bases. Pence, who later called Sandoval his “soul brother,” is now batting .500 in the Cactus League.
The Giants had held him back, wanting to be careful with the 36-year-old outfielder who missed the end of last season with a troublesome back. But Pence, who the Giants thought would debut Tuesday, pushed for Monday.
“It’s Diamondbacks, and the next potential start would be the Dodgers [on Wednesday],” Pence said at Salt River Fields during the game against Arizona. “That was really that. … Happy I got to go out there.”