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Hunter Pence takes first swings of the season with whiffle bat

By Alexandra Huber

Jul 21, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA; San Francisco Giants right fielder Hunter Pence (8) hits the ball in a game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. The Giants won 7-4. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 21, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA; San Francisco Giants right fielder Hunter Pence (8) hits the ball in a game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. The Giants won 7-4. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /
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Giants outfielder Hunter Pence, coming off injury, takes first swings of the 2015 season with a whiffle bat. 

San Francisco Giants outfielder Hunter Pence is finally back in the batter’s box. Only this time, he’s holding a whiffle bat.

Pence, who has been rehabbing a broken left forearm since early March, has been swinging with a whiffle bat and taking very light swings with a fungo bat, according to CSN Bay Area.

These swings are Pence’s first, not including spring training, since stepping off the field at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City after helping the Giants capture the 2014 World Series title, the team’s third in five years.

On Tuesday, manager Bruce Bochy announced that another X-ray would be necessary. Pence, who is currently on the 15-day disabled list, has not been cleared to take actual swings, though Bochy said this past weekend that he expects Pence to be available by the end of April.

Pence suffered the injury after taking a fastball to the forearm from Chicago Cubs prospect Corey Black in just the second game of spring training.

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“These things happen,” Pence said afterwards, “and it’s something that happens a lot in the early spring, when the pitches are still trying to find their arm slots. This was a young guy, throwing hard, and it got away from him. You can’t control your arm getting broken by a pitch.”

The Giants, who sit at just 3-8, have been struggling offensively thus far in the 2015 season. The team’s offensive production is down significantly from last year thanks to the temporary loss of Pence and permanent loss of Pedro Sandoval, who was traded to the Boston Red Sox in the off season.

Pence’s return should help the Giant’s offense get back on track, but the loss of Sandoval may have put the Giants in a bad place. The feelings of loss seems to be one-sided, though, as Sandoval went on a barrage of trash talk aimed at his former squad last month.

Pence will have to come back more productive than ever if they want to defend their World Series championship.

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