Texas Rangers Star Slugger Begins Injury Rehab Assignment in Minor Leagues

The Texas Rangers are giving their young third baseman some cuts in the minor leagues before he’s activated next week.

Sep 12, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Texas Rangers third baseman Josh Jung (6) celebrates in the dugout after hitting a home run against the Seattle Mariners during the second inning at T-Mobile Park. | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

Texas Rangers third baseman Josh Jung began his rehab assignment with the Double-A Frisco RoughRiders on Saturday, a stint Texas expects to be short.

Jung was the designated hitter and batted second for the RoughRiders, who were facing the Corpus Christi Hooks, the Double-A affiliate of the Houston Astros.

Jung went 1-for-3 with two RBI in three trips to the plate.

In the first inning Jung flew out to center field. In the second inning Jung made it to the plate again during a long rally, as he drove in two runs on a single to right field.

He grounded out to the shortstop in the fourth inning. Tucker Mitchell pinch-hit for Jung in the seventh inning.

The contest was the first of two rehab games with the RoughRiders. The plan is for Jung to play in the field on Sunday.

If all goes well, he’ll accompany the Rangers on the road trip to Chicago to face the Cubs, a series that starts on Monday.

Jung cannot be activated until Tuesday. But manager Bruce Bochy said the plan is for Jung to play on Tuesday.

“He’s doing well, very well,” Bochy said about Jung’s recovery.

Jung came back with neck spams from spring training and was in the opening day lineup. But, last Friday, while making a backhanded grab for a ground ball in the seventh inning, he re-aggravated the spasms in his neck.

Initially, the Rangers hoped to give Jung time to work through the spasms without an IL stint. But, in the next game, his replacement, Josh Smith, suffered a quad injury. With the potential of two infielders being injured, the Rangers moved Jung to the IL and called up Jonathan Ornelas.

When Jung is healthy, he’s a huge piece of the lineup for Texas. In 2023 he slashed .266/.315/.467 with 23 home runs and 70 RBI in 122 games.

Health has been his biggest issue since the Rangers took him with their first-round pick in 2019 out of Texas Tech.

While in the minor leagues in 2021 he suffered a stress fracture in his foot that put him on the shelf for two months. In 2022 he needed surgery for a torn labrum in his shoulder, an injury that delayed his MLB debut to late that season.

In 2023 he suffered a fractured left thumb trying to field a screaming line drive. He was out for about six weeks, but returned in time to help the Rangers win the World Series.

Last season Jung’s right wrist was hit by a pitch in the first week of the season and he missed nearly the first four months of the season. The injury was worse than initially believed and required more extensive surgery to repair, delaying his return.