Josh Jung On Rangers Debut: 'Goosebumps'
ARLINGTON, Texas — Tony Beasley could only remember two Major League debuts as significant as Josh Jung’s during his time with the Texas Rangers.
The interim manager joined the franchise in 2015 as a coach under then-manager Jeff Banister. Before Friday’s game with Toronto, he likened Jung’s debut to that of the debut of Joey Gallo and Nomar Mazara.
“The moments are special for them,” Beasley said Friday. “It’s their time. It’s not about me. I’m happy for them and happy that I could be a part of seeing them. It’s a dream come true for them.”
The dream went to a new level in the third inning, when Jung made his first Major League plate appearance.
Like Gallo and Mazara, he hit a home run in his first Major League game. Unlike Gallo and Mazara, he did it in his first MLB at-bat. He became just the second Rangers hitter to do that after Jurickson Profar in 2012.
After the game, Beasley presented Jung with the home run ball, which landed between the wall and the seats in left field.
Jung said he had been dreaming about that moment since he was 11 years old. At 24 that dream became reality.
“I don’t even think I was conscious as I ran around the bases,” Jung said.
The reality was the Rangers lost 4-3 in spite of Jung’s debut.
He couldn’t wipe the smile off his face when he crossed home plate in the third inning. While there were only 21,329 fans at the game, Jung received a loud ovation every time his name was announced.
“Goosebumps, honestly,” Jung said. “The first time they announced my name, even during the (starting) lineup it was just goosebumps.”
The reality of being a Major League player set in after that storybook start.
Jung popped out to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. at first base in his second at-bat. His third, in the bottom of the seventh, was his first with a runner on base, as Leody Taveras was hit by a pitch by Blue Jays reliever Adam Cimber. Jung hit a bloop single to right field, which moved Taveras to third. He even stole second base during Josh Smith’s at-bat, but Smith struck out to end the seventh.
Jung’s last at-bat was a strikeout swinging. He went 2-for-4 with a home run, an RBI, a run scored and a stolen base Any rookie would take that debut, even the “complete hitter” that Smith said Jung was before the game. Jung said he didn’t want to be timid, especially after taking three pitches at Globe Life Field against the Rockies in an exhibition game in 2020.
But Jung’s debut actually fell a bit short of the debuts of Gallo and Mazara.
Gallo’s debut, on June 2, 2015, in Arlington, was prolific in its production. He went 3-for-4 at the plate, hitting a double, a home run, driving in four runs and scoring three.
Mazara’s debut, on April 10, 2016, was in Anaheim against the Los Angeles Angels. His numbers weren’t quite as good as Gallo’s, but still a productive game — 3-for-4 with a home run, one RBI and a run scored.
Jung played a clean night in the field. His first chance, in the first inning, was a slow roller from Guerrero. He made the play, but his throw wasn’t quick enough to catch the speedy son of the former Rangers slugger.
A batter later, Bo Bichette hit a grounder to Jung’s left, which he fielded and threw to Marcus Semien at second base to start a double play. Bichette was just quick enough to keep Semien from finishing it. But it was Jung’s first big league assist.
Jung claimed his first big-league put-out in the top of the third when he cleanly handled a George Springer line drive.
Now, it’s on to Saturday, Jung said.
“It was all a reminder that this is the start of the journey, that this is the track that I want to be on,” Jung said. “So it was pretty cool. It’s pretty special.”
You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard
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