Third baseman Josh Jung went on the injured list with a right calf strain before Friday’s matchup against the Mariners. The Rangers recalled utilityman Josh Smith to add some infield depth.
Jung was pulled from Tuesday’s contest against the White Sox after singling and coming around to score in the third inning. He did some running this week, but didn’t progress enough to avoid the injured list, relayed Jeff Wilson of DLLS Sports. Texas is hoping for a minimum stint for Jung, which would put him on track to return next weekend against the Astros.
Injuries have hampered Jung for much of his career. While he’s missed time with a variety of issues, the calf has popped up on multiple occasions, including over the winter. This time around, the infielder said he felt discomfort that didn’t subside after Tuesday’s departure. “I think it’s kind of the location of it,” Jung told reporters, including Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News. “It’s at the very bottom of the calf, where it attaches to the Achilles, so that’s a little scary. But I think a lot of it is the pain tolerance. I’ve done everything I can to get ready, but when I come out and run, it just wasn’t ready to push it.”
It’s an inopportune time to lose an everyday player. Texas is in the middle of an important four-game set against Seattle. The Rangers won on Friday to extend their AL West lead to 1 1/2 games. The Mariners are 2 1/2 games back of the final AL Wild Card spot. Jung’s absence did allow Texas to jam another lefty in the lineup against right-hander Bryan Woo, with Smith drawing the start at the hot corner.
The 28-year-old Jung is enjoying his best season as a big leaguer. He’s slashing .294/.361/.441 through 396 plate appearances. Jung has taken a major leap forward in terms of plate discipline. He’s cut his strikeout rate to 17.9% this season, while walking at a career-best 8.3% clip. Jung hasn’t flashed the power he’d shown early in his career, with nine home runs in 92 games, but his adjustments have led to a strong 128 wRC+.
After two seasons as a solid regular, Smith has struggled this year. A .563 OPS in early May led to a demotion. He’s been back up a couple of times with the Rangers, but hasn’t stuck for long. Smith hasn’t been much better in the minors this year. He had a big two-game stretch in Double-A, but has posted a 70 wRC+ in 23 games at Triple-A.
Smith is unlikely to match Jung’s contributions at the plate. He’ll be a clear upgrade in the field. He’s recorded 9 Defensive Runs Saved in 178 appearances at third base. Most of that production is weighted toward his first couple of years in the league, though he was a neutral defender as the Rangers’ primary third baseman in 2024. Jung has a brutal -12 DRS in 782 innings at third base this season.
Photo courtesy of Jim Cowsert, Imagn Images
