Giants place OF Hunter Pence on disabled list with oblique strain

San Francisco Giants outfielder Hunter Pence is headed to the disabled list with an oblique strain.

San Francisco Giants outfielder Hunter Pence has been placed on the 15-day disabled list with an oblique strain.

Pence was injured while swinging in his final at-bat on Monday, and manager Bruce Bochy originally told reporters Tuesday that he expected Pence to miss a few days. In a corresponding move, San Francisco activated outfielder Nori Aoki from the seven-day concussion disabled list.

"You have a choice with everything that happens," Pence said. "It's how you respond. I can't do anything with what happened, but I can respond. My choice is to respond."

The Giants acquired outfielder Marlon Byrd from the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for Double A pitching prospect Stephen Johnson, the team announcedThursday, a move made in wake of Pence's injury that provides outfield depth. He is expected to join the team prior to Friday night's game against Pittsburgh. Outfielder Angel Pagan is currently on the 15-day disabled list with knee tendinitis.

Injuries have limited Pence to just 52 games this season and he is batting .275 with an .806 OPS. The Giants are 34–18 when he plays and 30–36 when he doesn’t. Pence didn’t make his season debut until mid-May after breaking his arm in spring training. He missed another 30 games in June and July with tendinitis in his wrist. 

Byrd, 37, is hitting .237 on the year with 19 home runs, 31 RBIs and a .743 OPS in his 96 games with the Reds. Fifteen of Byrd's 19 home runs have come off of right-handed pitchers this season.

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San Francisco enters Thursday night with a 65-55 record and is just two games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers for first place in the National League West. The Giants are also three games out in the wild card chase.​

- Dan Gartland