Former big league infielder Bret Boone was hired Monday as a hitting coach for the Texas Rangers, who are last in the American League in runs scored.

It will be the first time Boone, the brother of New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone and son of seven-time Gold Glove catcher Bob Boone, is on a major league coaching staff.

Boone’s hiring came a day after Texas fired offensive coordinator Donnie Ecker. Boone, out of El Dorado High and USC, will work with hitting coach Justin Viele and assistant hitting coach Seth Conner, who both remain on manager Bruce Bochy’s staff.

In 14 big league seasons as a player, Boone was a three-time All-Star and hit .266 with 252 homers and 1,021 RBIs in 1,780 games from 1992-2005 for five teams: Seattle, Cincinnati, Atlanta, San Diego and Minnesota.

Astros’ Alvarez on IL: Houston Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez has been placed on the 10-day injured list with inflammation in his right hand.

The issue caused the three-time All-Star to miss the last two games of the Astros’ weekend series with the Chicago White Sox.

Alvarez, 27, has batted .210 with, three homers and 18 RBIs in 29 games this season. That follows a 2024 season in which he batted. 308 with a .392 on-base percentage, 35 homers and 86 RBIs in 147 games while earning a third straight All-Star Game selection and finishing ninth in the AL Most Valuable Player voting.

He has posted an OPS of at least .959 each of the past three seasons.

Cubs’ Imanaga out: The Chicago Cubs placed left-handed starter Shota Imanaga on the 15-day injured list with a left hamstring strain, a day after he got hurt when going to cover first base.

He is 18-5 with a 2.89 ERA since signing a four-year, $53 million contract with the Cubs in January 2024. He finished fourth in the NL Rookie of the Year voting last season. This season, he is 3-2 with a 2.82 ERA in eight starts.