Rangers Activate Josh Jung, Nathan Eovaldi from Injured List

The Texas Rangers have been hoping for a while that they would be able to make these kinds of moves down the stretch of a heated playoff race.

On Saturday, ahead of the Rangers’ second game of a three-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks this weekend, Texas announced the following moves:

Activated 3B Josh Jung from the 10-day injured list (left calf strain);

Activated RHP Nathan Eovaldi from the 15-day injured list (right posterior elbow inflammation);

Optioned C Logan O’Hoppe to Triple-A Round Rock;

Optioned RHP Adam Macko to Triple-A Round Rock.

The moves kept the Rangers roster at 40 players.

Rangers Saturday Activations

Jung is back after playing four rehab games with Round Rock on its road trip to Salt Lake City this week. Jung played two games as the designated hitter and then played his position on Thursday and Friday. Notably, he played third base for eight innings on Friday. It’s not quite a full game, but it seems like the final hurdle to get him back on the roster.

Before his injury in late July, Jung was one of the best hitters on the team and a contender to be their representative at the All-Star Game. He slashed .294/.361/.441 in 92 games with nine home runs and 35 RBI. Without him in the lineup, the Rangers have used Ezequiel Duran at third base against right-handed pitching and Cody Freeman at third base against left-handed pitching as Duran has played center field against left-handers for Evan Carter.

Given the nature of Jung’s injury and the slow recovery time, it's possible the Rangers may use him at designated hitter just as often as they use him at third base. The Rangers have the flexibility to do both.

Eovaldi hasn’t been on a rehab assignment as time has run out on him to join an affiliate to build up to return to the rotation. Instead, the Rangers will use him as a multi-inning reliever or as an opener to help bolster the pitching staff. He’s thrown two simulated games this week, one of which went 40 pitches.

Before his injury he was 10-9 with a 4.21 ERA in 22 starts with 137 strikeouts and 32 walks. He’s built up at the MLB level before, notable in the final month of the 2023 season after recovering from an elbow injury. He was built up as a starter by the time Texas began its run to its first World Series title.

The Rangers wrap up their series against Arizona on Sunday and then have a day off on Monday to travel back to Arlington as they prepare for their final homestand of the season.

The 10-day, nine-game homestand begins on Tuesday against the Boston Red Sox, who seem destined to clinch a playoff berth. After that three-game series, the Rangers will host the Toronto Blue Jays, who like them are fighting for the final wild card berth in the AL with the Cleveland Guardians.

Then after a day off on Sept. 21, the Rangers wrap up the homestand with three games against the New York Mets, which includes the return of former Rangers second baseman Marcus Semien to Arlington for the first time since his trade last offseason.

The Rangers wrap up the regular season on the road with the three-game series at the Minnesota Twins from Sept. 26-28.

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