After missing the last couple of games with a sprained elbow, it seems likely that Astros right fielder Hunter Pence will rejoin the lineup Tuesday. The range of movement in the elbow has improved from where it was originally, when he could barely bend it, and Pence should be able to play with the injury:
“They wanted me to take (Monday) off completely, but I felt good enough to take a few swings, and hopefully I can get in there and play (today),” Pence said.
The Astros went 1-2 in Pence’s absence. Pence will likely push Jason Bourgeois out of the lineup for tonight, as Jason Michaels will probably get the start against the left-handed C.J. Wilson. Pence is hitting .321 with 9 homers, and appears to be the safe bet as the Astros representative at the MLB All-Star Game next month in Arizona. Wandy Rodriguez would likely be the other option, but he’s a few weeks behind Pence in terms of missed games.