Josh Smith’s Injury Situation Takes Serious Turn for Rangers

The Texas Rangers received some alarming news on Friday that goes far beyond the grass of the baseball field. Second baseman Josh Smith has been diagnosed with viral meningitis and is hospitalized.

As reported by Kennedi Landry on X, the club announced on Friday that he is expected to remain in the hospital for 7-10 days before he can even begin to think about joining the team for any baseball activities.

This is just more bad news for Smith. He was already on the 10-day injured list with a right glute strain and was in the middle of his rehab program.

Of course the baseball injury certainly now takes a backseat to a more serious battle. The team and everyone surrounding Smith just wants him to return to full health.

A Season Gone Sideways

Texas Rangers second baseman Josh Smith | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Even before all of the bad luck, 2026 had been a difficult campaign for the 28-year-old Smith. After Marcus Semien was traded to the New York Mets, Smith thought he had found his permanent home in the lineup.

The second base position opened up and it looked like Smith was the man for the job. Manager Skip Schumaker agreed and gave Smith the everyday opportunity he had clearly earned.

But, things weren’t working out on the stat lines, and numbers don’t lie. Through 98 plate appearances, Smith was slashing a measly .193/.306/.217 with two extra base hits. This was a stark contrast to the 2024 player who held a .861 OPS in the first half of the season.

Smith might be in line for the hard-luck player award, which is not something any player wants to be considered for. He certainly has had some unfortunate events so far.

What is Viral Meningitis?

Inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord caused by a virus is referred to as viral meningitis. This is less severe than bacterial meningitis, but is certainly something to be taken very seriously.

The condition usually always requires hospitalization, rest and 24-hour monitoring.

Smith will likely be suffering from symptoms such as severe headache, fever, stiff neck, sensitivity to light, and fatigue. Recovery can be expected to take anywhere from 7 to 10 days for initial symptoms, but full recovery, in terms for the rigor of playing Major League Baseball, could take longer.

The initial hospital time is just the beginning. After his discharge, Smith will have to restart his glute rehab before he will join the team again on the field. A much more realistic return to the active roster is probably weeks away at a minimum.

The Rangers Move at Second Base

Ezequiel Duran has been the primary second baseman in Smith’s absence. It looks like he will remain there for the foreseeable future. The Rangers are currently 21-22 on the season and have a good shot at making the postseason.

Smith will be missed, but his absence is manageable. The most important piece is that he returns 100% healthy. Everything else can wait.

Add us as a preferred source on Google