Rangers Have Clear Message for Josh Jung to Return to Form in 2026

The Texas Rangers third baseman will aim to get back on track next season.

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The Texas Rangers fell short of expectations in 2025. There is a clear acknowledgment from the organization that the offense has to improve, and the Rangers have not hesitated to make adjustments. Many of the top contributors from the 2023 championship team are gone. In fact, only seven players remain on the roster today. One of those players is third baseman Josh Jung.

Jung was drafted in the first round of the 2019 draft and made his major league debut in late 2022. He burst onto the scene in 2023, hitting 23 home runs with 70 RBIs and earning his first All-Star nod. He was a massive reason Texas won the World Series, and looked to be a cornerstone for this franchise.

However, the last two seasons have been rocky for the 27-year-old. Injuries plagued 2024, and he only appeared in 46 games. He was slightly healthier in 2025, but he still missed 31 games. Last season, Jung flashed signs of elite play. Unfortunately, the high chase rate and strikeout percentage were more common themes a season ago.

Jung slashed .251/.294/.390 and was third on the team in strikeouts (129). He managed 27 walks. His defense remained consistent as he's proven to be stout at the hot corner. At the Winter Meetings, manager Skip Schumaker had a few things to say about Jung.

Skip Schumaker has a Clear Message for Josh Jung

Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

According to DLLS Rangers, Schumaker wants Jung to be "feared once again." He added, "He's a third baseman on a team that is positioned to go to the playoffs and make a run at this thing, and he should be feared whenever he gets in the box and how can you create that mindset from the opposing dugout once again."

“I want him to be feared once again.”

New Rangers manager Skip Schumaker wants the old Josh Jung to return to the lineup pic.twitter.com/hRIgdyJTQ3

— DLLS Rangers (@DLLS_Rangers) December 9, 2025

He also said they don't plan on tinkering him into a player he's not, and would like for Jung to be the player he was in 2023. Jung is still early in his major league career. There is still a possibility Texas could entertain a trade for Jung, but that would mean another spot in the infield would have to be filled.

The Rangers are already looking for a backup catcher and potentially a new second baseman. Jung has all the intangibles to be an elite third baseman in this league, as illustrated a couple of seasons ago.

Getting him healthy is priority number one, and the rest should follow. Texas seems to have a lot of faith in its former first-round pick, and a change in the coaching staff could unlock more of that untapped potential.

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