The Texas Rangers (30-34) have been in start-stop mode all yearlong and desperately need to steady the ship before embarking on a challenging six-game road trip next week. In order for the reigning World Series champions to stay afloat by All-Star break,  a healthy roster is critical. The latest injury updates will have fans feeling mixed emotions.

Corey Seager missed his second consecutive game with a left hamstring injury in Saturday's 3-1 home loss to the San Francisco Giants, per MLB.com's Kennedi Landry.

The good news, though, is that starting pitcher Jon Gray has been activated off the injured list and is back in action for Texas, as was reported by Evan Grant of Dallas Morning News. He interestingly worked out of the bullpen in his first outing since May 21 (right groin strain), throwing 2 1/3 scoreless innings while striking out four batters and walking one.

Gray has a 2.12 ERA in 12 appearances this season and has been especially valuable for a shorthanded Rangers' pitching rotation. Unfortunately, though, his return does not overshadow the Seager update. The two-time World Series MVP has been crushing the ball for the last five weeks, exhibiting the elite form that exhilarated Arlington and demoralized Phoenix last fall (hitting .271 overall with 13 home runs and an .832 OPS). His long-term availability is the club's top concern.

Seager has missed a bevy of games with the same injury over the years and has surpassed 150 in a single season just twice in his 10-year career. Texas' ceiling is dramatically lower without him in the lineup. This is not a good time for Bruce Bochy's squad to be at less than full strength.

Fans are still waiting for Rangers to wake up

Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager (5) follows through on his two-run home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the fifth inning at Globe Life Field.
Jim Cowsert-USA TODAY Sports

After winning five of six games against a pair of sub-.500 National League teams in the Arizona Diamondbacks and Miami Marlins, the Rangers have now lost four of their last five (also against clubs with losing records). Upcoming matchups versus the Los Angeles Dodgers (40-25) and American League West-leading Seattle Mariners (36-30) threaten to extend this slump.

Though, if they can triumph in T-Mobile Park, fans' confidence will shoot back up. Texas trails Seattle by five games and is currently three and a half games out of the third and final American League Wild Card spot. But it is only June. The champs can capture the offensive magic that propelled them to a historic run in 2023 and jump right back into the mix.

A resurgence is a far more difficult concept to grasp, however, if Corey Seager is going to be hampered by a hamstring strain. Bochy opted not to use him as a pinch-hitter with two men in scoring position in the ninth inning, so it is unclear how irksome the issue is at this moment.

Hopefully, the four-time All-Star shortstop will be ready to go in the series finale against the Giants, as the Rangers try to end this unsuccessful homestand with a win. Until more information is revealed, fans can at least take some satisfaction in knowing that Jon Gray is posting zeros on the scoreboard once again.