It’s been a disappointing season so far for the defending champion Texas Rangers. At five games below .500 entering play on Saturday, the team is five games out of first place in the AL West and 7.5 games back in the Wild Card hunt.
Despite their struggles, the Rangers don’t appear ready to concede the season just yet. And it remains unclear if the team will be buying or selling at the MLB trade deadline. Perhaps the latest injury update will convince the decision makers in Texas to hold firm as the Rangers should be getting a couple key pieces back in the coming weeks.
The long-awaited return of third baseman Josh Jung and outfielder Evan Carter could go a long way to improving the club’s outlook. And Rangers’ manager Bruce Bochy offered some encouraging news on both players.
Bochy said the club is “hoping” Jung will be activated “by August 1,” according to MLB.com’s Kennedi Landry on X. While he didn’t provide a specific timeline for the return, Bochy said he expects Jung to have an additional rehab assignment “soon.”
The 26-year-old rising star was off to a torrid start in 2024 with a .412 batting average and 1.415 OPS. Unfortunately, Jung only lasted four games before he landed on the injured list in early April. He was hit by a pitch on April 1 and ultimately needed surgery to repair his fractured wrist. While Jung was expected to be back after about two months, he’s been out of action nearly twice that long.
After a cup of coffee in the majors in 2022, Jung broke out last year putting together an excellent season as the Rangers’ starting third baseman with 25 doubles, 23 home runs, 70 RBI and 2.4 WAR. Jung was even better in the postseason with a .308 batting average and .867 OPS in 70 plate appearances. He finished fourth in Rookie of the Year voting and made the All-Star team, becoming the first Rangers’ rookie to start in the Midsummer Classic.
Rangers’ Josh Jung and Evan Carter get encouraging injury updates
Also on the injury front, Bochy provided an update on left fielder Evan Carter. The Rangers’ manager said that the 21-year-old will take batting practice on Tuesday in Arlington, per Landry on X. However, it’s unknown what the next step in his recovery will be.
Carter has been on the shelf since the end of May and has missed nearly two full months as he recovers from a lower back strain. He will likely go on a rehab assignment when he’s healthy enough to play but back injuries are notoriously tricky. Carter missed time earlier this season with the same injury so the Rangers are taking it slow with his rehab.
Prior to hitting the injured list, Carter was struggling at the plate. He was batting just .188 with a .633 OPS, five home runs, 15 RBI and an OPS+ of 79 in 45 games. However, in 23 games last year, the young outfielder had five homers, 12 RBI and was slashing .306/.413/.645 with an OPS+ of 187.
Like Jung, Carter was a significant contributor to the Rangers’ playoff run and World Series victory in 2023. In addition to playing well defensively, Carter produced at the plate, hitting. 300 with a .917 OPS in 17 postseason games. He also set the record for the most doubles in a single postseason with nine, according to MLB.com. The Rangers are willing to take their time in order to get that version of Carter back on the field.
Texas has dealt with a slew of injuries in 2024 as the team awaits the return of Jacob deGrom, Cody Bradford, Tyler Mahle and others. While the Rangers should get most of their key pieces back within the next month, they won’t be at (or near) full strength until after the trade deadline.
The team has done its part of late to convince management not to give up on the season, winning nine of 14 games since June 30. If their injured players get healthy and return to action in the coming weeks, the Rangers could boast one of the biggest roster upgrades in baseball without making a single transaction at the deadline.
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