ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Designated hitter Joc Pederson, catcher Kyle Higashioka and right-hander Jakob Junis declined their mutual options with the Texas Rangers, the team said Saturday.
All three became eligible for free agency.
Pederson turned down an $18 million option that did not include a buyout, part of a $37 million, two-year contract. The 34-year-old, a two-time All-Star, hit .235 with 26 homers and 53 RBIs in 136 games. He did not play after Sept. 12, when he fractured his left wrist upon getting hit by a 93.3 mph fastball from Arizona's Brandon Pfaadt.
Higashioka declined a $7 million option and gets a $1 million buyout, completing a $13.5 million, two-year contract. The 36-year-old hit .218 with seven homers and 18 RBIs in 56 games this year. He played his last major league game on July 20 because of a right flexor strain, then played in 11 games at Triple-A Round Rock from Sept. 4-20 during an injury rehabilitation assignment.
Junis turned down a $5 million option and receives a $1.25 million buyout as part of a $4 million, one-year contract. The 34-year-old was 1-3 with a 3.64 ERA in 52 relief appearances. He didn't pitch between June 29 and July 18 because of hip impingement and between July 28 and Aug. 15 because of a left adductor strain.
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FILE - Texas Rangers' Joc Pederson watches his home run against the Milwaukee Brewers during the sixth inning of a baseball game on Aug. 30, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps, File)
MUNICH (AP) — Bayern Munich faces injury concerns after midfielder Ismael Saibari and forward Serge Gnabry both went off injured in the space of a few minutes during the Klassiker against Borussia Dortmund on Saturday.
Saibari was helped off the field by two members of Bayern's medical staff after injuring his right leg in a collision with Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel.
Saibari had a shot saved as he went one-on-one with Kobel and they tangled as Saibari challenged the diving Kobel for the rebound.
Saibari was holding his knee with a pained expression as Bayern medical staff manipulated his ankle. He limped off with the staff supporting him. Saibari was a standout for Morocco at the World Cup and joined Bayern during the tournament for a reported $63 million from PSV Eindhoven.
Two minutes after Saibari was replaced by Nathaniel Brown, Gnabry went off, too. The forward sat down on the field in clear discomfort but was able to walk off unaided as Josip Stanisic replaced him.
Bayern was without head coach Vincent Kompany after he was released from hospital this week following treatment for an infection.
The injury concerns came as Bayern played Dortmund for the lead in the Bundesliga and three days before Bayern faces Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.
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Munich's Serge Gnabry, right, and Dortmund's Joane Gadou, left, challenge for the ball during the German Bundesliga soccer match between FC Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund in Munich, Germany, Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026. (Tom Weller/dpa via AP)
Munich's Ismael Saibari is guided off the pitch during the German Bundesliga soccer match between FC Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund in Munich, Germany, Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026. (Sven Hoppe/dpa via AP)
Munich's Ismael Saibari lies on the pitch during the German Bundesliga soccer match between FC Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund in Munich, Germany, Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026. (Sven Hoppe/dpa via AP)
