Rangers Reset for Struggling Josh Smith May Be Starting to Take Hold

Josh Smith provided a subtle clue that the reset the Texas Rangers gave him earlier this week may be starting to take hold.

Texas Rangers second baseman Josh Smith. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

DETROIT — Most saw Josh Smith hit a single in the fifth inning of Saturday’s game. Texas Rangers manager Skip Schumaker saw it in a different way.

Schumaker is trying to get Smith going after an awful first month of the season that saw the former AL Silver Slugger at utility bat under .200. Saturday was his first start since Tuesday against the New York Yankees. He wanted to give the second baseman a couple of games off to rest, even though he was pressed into service on Friday after Brandon Nimmo’s injury.

Schumaker was more impressed with where Smith hit the baseball. It told him something about the work Smith has put in the past few days.

“That first hit to left-center-ish, that what he’s been working on,” Schumaker said on Sunday. “Hopefully that sparks something.”

Josh Smith Trying to Bounce Back

Texas Rangers shortstop Josh Smith. | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

Smith won the second base job during spring training on merit. He slashed .340/.467/.660 with four home runs and 15 RBI. There was little question the opening day job was his. A month later, Ezequiel Duran is pressing him for playing time.

Smith was slashing .193/.306/.217 after that game on Tuesday. Schumaker opted to give Duran the start at second base on Wednesday and Friday to give Smith time to reset his approach at the plate. Duran was slashing .277/.347/.400 going into Sunday’s game and seems to have finally thrived in a role where he plays different positions.

Nimmo’s injury forced Smith to curtail the two-game reset on Friday and he went 0-for-2 with two strikeouts after he took over Duran at second base. Duran played right field for Nimmo the rest of the game.

Smith had another hit on Saturday, a line drive to right field that was set up by a poorly placed slider by Tigers starter Keider Montero. Smith was able to pull it. It was the type of pull that Schumaker said was acceptable. There’s another kind that tells him when players are struggling, as Smith has the past month.

“It’s when you’re pull side on the ground, that’s when you’re having trouble,” he said.

Smith was a leadoff hitter last year for the Rangers. This year he’s been batting in the bottom of the order. But there is value in being able to consistently hit in that spot, especially as it wraps around to the top of the order to players like Nimmo and Corey Seager, even though the latter is struggling right now.

Schumaker isn’t giving up on Smith. He knows the lefty’s value in the order.

“We need to get him going. He’s a big part of our lineup and a big part of what we’re trying to do offensively,” he said. “It was good to see him hit the ball the other way. I think that means his [swing] path is in a good spot.”