Rangers Boss Provides Worrying Update on Wyatt Langford's Injury Status

The Texas Rangers have been without star outfielder Wyatt Langford since April 22nd. In a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates on April 21st, Langford was removed from the game after he felt tightness in his right arm. A day later, he was placed on the 10-day injured list with a right forearm strain.

Langford told reporters he would only need the 10 days to recover, but he suffered another setback. Before a potential Saturday return, Langford played in a rehab game last Thursday. After an at-bat, he experienced a lingering forearm issue and was shut down.

Now, fans are wondering when the 24-year-old may return, and president of baseball operations, Chris Young, provided an update.

Langford Will Miss More Time Than Initially Thought

Texas Rangers left fielder Wyatt Langford hits. | Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images

In an interview with 105.3 The Fan, Young said they thought he wasn't quite as ready for game action as they thought. He said, "You can do all the reps and practice that you want but until you get in a game and test it at game speed, you truly don't have an indication of how it's gonna respond..."

On Langford's timeline, Young said, "We conferred with our doctors who decided that the best course of action is to give it more rest, and so I think for at least the next week, maybe a little bit longer even, we're gonna keep him rested and see where it goes and see how he feels and go from there."

It's obviously not the news Rangers fans wanted to hear. Langford had been in the second or third spot in the lineup and is a critical component to this team's success.

Langford Needs to Step Up Upon His Return

Before the injury, Langford wasn't having the best start to the season. He's slashing .238/.274/.363 with just one home run and 19 strikeouts. That number is concerning for a guy as talented as Langford.

However, Texas is obviously better with their young outfielder in the lineup. The offense has stumbled without him, as they've failed to consistently produce with runners in scoring position. The expectation for Langford was to take the next major step in his third year in the big leagues.

Unfortunately, injuries have played a part in his career. This is already the fifth time in three seasons that he's been placed on the injured list. If Langford can't stay on the field consistently, concerns could extend beyond his on-field production.

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