Carlos Pena played his second game with the Texas Rangers in as many nights on Wednesday since being traded away following the 2001 season and going on to have a solid career as a power-hitting first baseman.
Now 36, Pena is simply a stop-gap with hopes of being a sparkplug for a wounded Rangers team and a struggling lineup that has failed to produce runs with any frequency for much of the season.
On Tuesday night in his debut after being called up from Triple-A Round Rock, Pena went 0-for-4 and struck out twice, but on Wednesday he showed a glimpse of his good self when he went 2-for-5, scored two runs, and hit a towering home run down the right field line.
With Brad Snyder having been designated for assignment, it appears the Rangers are rolling with Pena at first base for the time being, with both Chris Gimenez and Robinson Chirinos adding depth, along with Donnie Murphy — none of which are really true first basemen, which Pena is, advanced age and all.
