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Carlos Pena signs with Texas Rangers

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With two first basemen down with injuries, the Rangers are taking a chance on Carlos Pena. (Ron Vesely/Getty)

With two first basemen down with injuries, the Rangers are taking a chance on Carlos Pena. (Ron Vesely/Getty)

Carlos Pena has fallen a long way from his great 2007 season (.282/.411/.627), but injuries to Prince Fielder and Mitch Moreland have the Rangers desperate for help at first base, so today they signed Carlos Pena to a minor league deal.

With Fielder and Moreland out, the Rangers have been starting utility man Donnie Murphy at first base. Murphy, who had never appeared in a major league game at first before this year, is batting .216.

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Pena was cut midway through last season by the Astros after batting .209 in 85 games. He finished the season with the Royals, appearing in four games and going hitless in three at-bats. Pena went to spring training with the Angels this year but didn't make the squad. Now, he returns to the team that drafted him 10th overall in 1998.

Pena will report to Triple-A Round Rock "today or tomorrow," the team's Twitter account says.

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