OAKLAND -- Time is running out as Rangers outfielder Hunter Pence continues to do everything he can to get back in the lineup.

Pence has been sidelined since Aug. 22 with a lower back strain and is still not taking batting practice or doing any serious swinging with the bat. Rangers manager Chris Woodward did not sound optimistic when asked before Saturday¡¯s game against the A's about the possibility of Pence playing again this season.

¡°I don¡¯t know if he is going to be able to swing by the end of the year,¡± Woodward said. ¡°I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s a pretty significant thing, especially at his age, it¡¯s not going to heal as fast. It stinks. He is going to do everything he can to get back in the game. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s going to happen.¡±

After Saturday, the Rangers have seven games left in the regular season, but Pence is not going to shut it down as long as there is a chance to get back in the lineup.

¡°The value is to play the game you love and be a part of the team you committed to and finish strong,¡± Pence said. ¡°There is infinite value.¡±

The Rangers are also acutely aware of how much Pence meant to this offense as the right-handed bat in the middle of a left-handed-heavy lineup. This is the second time Pence has been on the injured list.

The other time came after Pence sustained a strained right groin muscle on June 16 while going after a ball in the outfield in a game against the Reds in Cincinnati. That could have been the turning point in the Rangers' season.

The Rangers went into that game -- their 71st of the season -- with a 38-32 record. Their offense was hitting .256 with a .334 on-base percentage and a .444 slugging percentage while averaging 5.67 runs per game. Since then, they are hitting .238 with a .301 on-base percentage and a .411 slugging percentage while averaging 4.3 runs per game, entering Saturday.

¡°That¡¯s where it dropped off a little bit,¡± Woodward said. ¡°Hunter¡¯s right-handed bat in the middle of the lineup was pretty significant. It took a lot of the pressure off other guys to produce and fill the void.¡±

Two key players in front of Pence also had their numbers drop off after June 15. Elvis Andrus had a slash line of .303/.341/.450 through June 15 and .245/.248/.327 since then. Shin-Soo Choo batted .280/.383/.500 through June 15 and .252/.352/.405 since then.

Rangers beat

? The Rangers' 8-0 loss to the A's on Friday marked the fourth time in club history they had the minimum 27 plate appearances in a game. Erik Bedard threw a two-hit shutout against them for the Orioles on July 7, 2007, with both baserunners erased by double plays. The others were the Angels' Mike Witt¡¯s perfect game on Sept. 30, 1984, and White Sox left-hander Mark Buehrle¡¯s no-hitter on April 18, 2007. Buehrle only allowed a walk to Sammy Sosa and picked him off base.

? Isiah Kiner-Falefa started at catcher on Saturday night, the first time he has been behind the plate since June 6. Jeff Mathis remains sidelined with a strained lower back, and the chances of him playing again this season are doubtful.