The Texas Rangers are navigating a season riddled with injuries to key players, and the latest concern is over Josh Jung, a player they simply can’t afford to lose. Jung exited Saturday’s game in the third inning, clutching his left shoulder with what the team described as soreness. The injury seemed to occur during a diving attempt to snag a ball.
Both Jung and manager Skip Schumaker have downplayed the severity, suggesting that the move to take him out was more about caution than necessity. Schumaker explained to Rangers Sports Network, “We’ll figure it out.
It was on the dive, you know, [the ball] up the line a little bit. So, we’ll find out exactly [what happened] after the doctor sees him.”
This situation stirs some déjà vu for Jung, who had surgery on that shoulder for a torn labrum four years ago. Speaking to The Dallas Morning News, Jung mentioned, “I hadn’t had any pain or weird sensation in that area for a while.
It freaked me out a little bit. I think it’s more precautionary than anything.”
The timing couldn’t be worse for the Rangers, as they’re in the midst of a grueling stretch without a day off until June 4. With shortstop Corey Seager and outfielder Wyatt Langford already on the 10-day injured list, losing Jung would be a significant blow to an offense struggling with consistency.
Jung has been a standout, boasting a .302/.357/.462 slash line, with five homers and 21 RBIs in 48 games. He’s a prime candidate for the All-Star game in July, set to take place in Philadelphia. This season, Jung has refined his approach at the plate, becoming more of an all-field hitter than ever before.
Despite a history of injuries, Jung has been relatively healthy this season, missing only five games, none due to injury. The Rangers have the option to rest him on Sunday, especially after he left Saturday’s game, prompting Ezequiel Duran to shift to third base and Michael Helman to shortstop.
This one-game adjustment is something the Rangers might consider again on Sunday, providing Jung a chance to rest before they kick off a seven-game homestand against the Houston Astros starting Monday.
