Rangers’ Corey Seager, Wyatt Langford Return with Immediate Impact

The Texas Rangers got two of their top players back on Friday and in back-to-back at-bats they delivered them a victory.

Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager. | Andrew Dieb-Imagn Images

ARLINGTON, Texas — Wyatt Langford and Corey Seager sure didn’t play like they had been on the injured list when they returned on Friday night.

In the sixth inning, Langford doubled, followed by a home run by Seager, to give Texas a 3-2 lead over the Cleveland Guardians that turned into a victory.

It was a welcome sight for the Rangers (31-32) who have been cobbling together wins however they can in their absence, including turning to a small ball mentality with the bottom of their order. Texas doesn’t want to abandon that, but manager Skip Schumaker admitted before the game that the Rangers need more slug.

Enter Langford and Seager, each with an extra base hit in their first game back.

“The timing looked right the first at-bat — it looked right,” Schumaker said. “I know it didn’t result in a hit for them, but it was a really good sign.”

Corey Seager and Wyatt Langford Back on the Field

Nice to have this back. #AllForTX pic.twitter.com/S6g7PY5sz1

— Texas Rangers (@Rangers) June 6, 2026

Seager’s home run was not just significant because it was the go-ahead home run. It was the end of the worst slump of Seager’s career. Before he went on the injured list on May 15 with lower bank inflammation, he was mired in a 0-for-27 slump and was slashing .179/.286/.353 with four home runs and 20 RBI.

The two-time World Series MVP was retired twice by Messick, making his 21st MLB start. But not the third time. Seager parked an opposite field home run into the left field seats, scoring Langford.

It was an encouraging sign for the slugger, who took the unusual step — for him — of going on a rehab assignment earlier this week. He hadn’t don’t that in three years.

“It was just nice to get out there with the guys again,” Seager said. “You never want to be on the IL. You just want to be out there competing.”

As for Langford, his first at-bat resulted in an out, but it was the type of hit that will play in the new world of Globe Life Field as a pitcher’s park. His shot to the alley in right-center field was run down by Guardians right fielder Chase DeLauter.

His double found a gap in left-center field and this time it wasn’t tracked down, leading to a double. Again, it’s the type of slug that plays well in GLF now.

Before he went on the IL on April 21 with a right forearm strain, Langford was slashing .238/.274/.363 with one home run and four RBI. But he was starting to emerge from a slump that held him back at the start of the season. He also had a false start in May during a rehab start and had to be shut down.

It resulted in the longest IL stint of his career and left him itching to get back on the field. Schumaker batted him leadoff in front of Seager.

“The rehab games helped,” Langford said. “I got probably 16 at-bats maybe, worked some walks, which was good. I feel like I’m in a good spot.”

Schumaker doesn’t see the return of the pair as changing how the Rangers will do business offensively. They’ll still look to steal bases, use the hit-and-run and even bunt when needed. Langford’s ability to steal bases fits right into that.

Rather, it’s adding to an emerging philosophy that’s working as opposed to replacing it.

“It was a reminder that we have to be able to beat teams different ways,” Schumaker said. “We didn’t really have a chance to do any small ball, bunts or anything like that. So we have to be able to beat teams in different ways.”