Rangers Notes: Corey Seager Close to Return, Josh Jung Trending Other Way

The Texas Rangers executed their first trade of the deadline on Wednesday, but they also offered updates on three injured players of note going into this weekend.

The Rangers lost two of their three games to the Tampa Bay Rays and are heading to Houston for a three-game series with the Astros, clinging to half-game lead over Houston in the American League West. The Rangers could use some reinforcements. That prompted bullpen acquisition Chase Silseth.

But the Rangers could have another big reinforcement joining them on Friday in Houston.

Corey Seager

During a video conference with beat writers, president of baseball operations Chris Young said that so long as Corey Seager didn't have any setbacks after his two rehab games at Double-A Frisco that he would be activated on Friday in Houston.

Seager played five innings in both Tuesday’s game and Wednesday’s game, hitting a home run on Tuesday and making an incredible defensive play that indicated that his back — which has landed him on the injured list twice this season — is ready.

Seager was not scheduled to play on Thursday as the Rangers looked at that as a rest day after back-to-back games.

He has not played in a Major League game since the end of June. Seager is slashing .182/.292/.374 with 10 home runs and 25 RBI in 51 games.

Josh Jung

Rangers manager Skip Schumacher told reporters in Tampa, including Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News (subscription required) that Jung’s progress from a strained calf muscle was trending in the “wrong direction.”

He also said the third baseman’s ability to sprint was at a standstill. That was the issue last week when he suffered the injury. He was unable to sprint in the way needed for a baseball game.

Jung was eligible to be activated on Saturday. With this update, it sounds like he’ll need more time to strengthen the calf, which he injured while running the bases last Tuesday against the Chicago White Sox. With Seager set to return, Texas will probably slide Ezequiel Duran to third base.

He’s been the Rangers’ most complete hitter this season, as he’s slashed .294/.361/.441 in 92 games with nine home runs and 35 RBI.

Jordan Montgomery

Jordan Montgomery had hoped that he would be activated this weekend in Houston. But Young said that the Rangers would have Montgomery take at least one more rehab start this weekend, likely with Triple-A Round Rock.

Montgomery pitched for the Express last Saturday and reached 75 pitches, a count that most teams look at as a threshold for activation. Montgomery is coming off Tommy John surgery and has not pitched in a Major League game since 2024.

The Rangers are being cautious as adding Montgomery to the rotation comes at a time when Texas could use the reinforcement, but they also want to ensure he’s full ready.

The Rangers also transferred Cody Bradford’s rehab assignment to Round Rock as he continues his ramp up from an elbow surgery last year.

Without Montgomery, the Rangers went with a bullpen game on Thursday. That pushed Nathan Eovaldi back to the opener with the Astros on Friday. The Rangers are expected to start Jacob deGrom on Saturday and Kumar rocker on Sunday.

Add us as a preferred source on Google