The flip side of the bad news dealt to Willie Calhoun on Thursday is the good news the Texas Rangers delivered to another outfield: Arlington native Hunter Pence has made the Opening Day roster.
In camp on a minor-league deal signed in early February, Pence met expectations with his energy and presence in the clubhouse and exceeded expectations with his on-field performance.
The Arlington High graduate and former UT Arlington star is batting .333 (16 for 48) with a 1.028 OPS, three homers and six stolen bases. He will be the extra outfielder on manager Chris Woodward’s bench, providing a needed right-handed bat, even though he has played well enough to merit steady playing time.