Rangers Move Wyatt Langford to Injured List, Activate Evan Carter

The Texas Rangers are going to have to do without outfielder Wyatt Langford after a hamstring injury.

Texas Rangers left fielder Wyatt Langford. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Wyatt Langford’s late scratch from Saturday's game has now turned into a injured list stint for the Texas Rangers outfielder.

Langford, who had caught fire at the plate since he returned from the injured list in early June, was moved to the 10-day injured list in advance of Sunday's game with the Toronto Blue Jays with a left hamstring strain, per the Rangers PR account on X (formerly Twitter).

To replace Langford, the Rangers recalled Even Carter from his rehab assignment in the minor leagues and activated him from the 10-day injured list. Carter will start Sunday’s game and play center field.

Wyatt Langford on Injured List Again

Texas Rangers left fielder Wyatt Langford. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said after Saturday’s game that Langford's stratch from the lineup was as late as it possibly could have been. Langford reported discomfort to team trainers, who conveyed that Schumaker and after a short conversation Texas decided to scratch Langford from the lineup as a precaution.

Schumaker told reporters on Sunday, including MLB.com, that Langford will be out until after the All-Star break. That takes him out of the lineup until at least July 17 in Atlanta.

He didn't have an update for Rangers Sports Network and other outlets after the contest, saying that Langford was still being evaluated.

The third-year outfielder was the team’s hottest hitter before he missed Saturday’s game. In his last 15 games he was slashing .359/.406/.703 with six home runs and 15 RBI. That was after he spent more than a month on the injured list with a right forearm strain that he suffered on a check swing. His move to the IL comes just three days after the Rangers got shortstop Corey Seager back from a concussion after two weeks.

The move comes before a game where the Rangers are attempting a four-game road sweep of the Blue Jays and attempting to get back to .500 for the first time since June 11.

Carter returns after playing two rehab games with Double-A Frisco. He was placed on the 10-day IL on June 13 with a right oblique strain that he suffered when he dove to make a catch in center field at Fenway Park. He returns from the injury after 15 days.

Before his injury he was slashing.176/.292/.321 with six home runs and 21 RBI in 66 games this season. After missing considerable time in each of the past two seasons due to injury, Carter had already played more games than in any of his previous MLB seasons.

The Rangers also announced that right-handed reliever pitcher Chris Martin was going to start a rehab assignment with Frisco. He has been on the IL twice this season with a right shoulder impingement.