Josh Jung, Rangers Get More Encouraging News About Sore Shoulder

The Texas Rangers are being cautious with their best hitter as they open a four-game series against the Houston Astros.

Texas Rangers third baseman Josh Jung. | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

ARLINGTON, Texas — Texas Rangers manager Skip Schumaker would like to stay away from third baseman Josh Jung on Monday night. Aside from that, Jung is recovering nicely from a sore left shoulder.

Jung had an MRI on the left shoulder on Monday and Schumaker said the results were clean. That was a follow-up to testing the shoulder in Anaheim after he left Saturday’s game with left shoulder soreness after diving for a ground ball.

He missed Sunday’s game. He won’t be in Monday’s lineup against the Houston Astros. But Schumaker didn’t totally rule Jung out from pinch-hitting.

“I don’t think he’s 100% down,” Schumaker said about Monday’s game against the Houston Astros.

Josh Jung’s Recovery

Texas Rangers third baseman Josh Jung. | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Jung worked out before the clubhouse was opened to media on Monday. He hit off a tee and then he fielded ground balls and said afterward he felt good. He also said the shoulder felt much better than it did when he woke up on Sunday.

“It was just really sore [on Sunday],” Jung said. “It felt much better today.”

Ezequiel Duran will start at third base for the second straight game. Michael Helman will start at shortstop for Duran, who had been starting for Corey Seager at shortstop after the slugger moved to the injured list. Justin Foscue will play at second base, where Duran was starting for the injured Josh Smith before he had to move to shortstop.

Jung confirmed that is the same shoulder in which he suffered a torn labrum in 2022, which required surgery. He also said that it was the first he’d felt pain in the shoulder since he had the surgery and that Saturday’s incident freaked him out more than anything.

With three starters and position players on the injured list, now is not the time to lose the team’s best offensive player this season. Jung is slashing .302/.357/.462 with five home runs and 21 RBI in 48 games. He is the Rangers top candidate to be selected to the All-Star game in July, which will be held in Philadelphia.

Schumaker offered no commitment on whether Jung would play or start on Tuesday, noting that with any injury a player’s recovery after a workout is a key component of the process. He did say the clean scan should give Jung some peace of mind that there is nothing more serious happening.

“It’s still sore,” Schumaker said. “Luckily there’s nothing significant there. So we’ll talk through his work today, see how he recovers and then go from there.”