Wyatt Langford Takes Next Step in Injury Rehab for Rangers

The Texas Rangers outfielder continued his progression toward a potential return to the Rangers later this week.

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

Wyatt Langford said last week that he wants to play now for the Texas Rangers but also said he must play by the rules.

Those rules include taking the necessary steps in his injury rehab.

The outfielder took his next step toward a return to the Majors on Sunday with Triple-A Round Rock as he played in the field one day after he played an entire game at designated hitter with the Express.

Getting back in the field was the second step in a process to ensure that Langford is fully over the strained right forearm that has kept him out of the lineup for a month and ensures that he can handle a full workload in the Majors when he returns.

Wyatt Lanford’s Second Rehab Game

Texas Rangers manager Skip Schumaker. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Langford took his position in left field on Sunday and batted second in the order, as he did on Saturday as the designated hitter. Langford took three turns in the order and five innings in the field before left the contest as expected. He lined out in the first inning, struck out on a foul tip in the third inning and grounded out to shortstop in the fifth inning. Jonah Bride came into the game to replace Langford in the sixth inning.

On Saturday he went 0-for-2 and drew two walks, scoring both times he was on base on home runs by Blaine Crim and Cody Freeman.

What’s next for Langford? All the Rangers’ full-season affiliates are off on Monday. Teammate Corey Seager, who is also injured and preparing for a rehab assignment. He’s expected to be assigned to Double-A Frisco this week. The Express are on the road and when veterans go on rehab assignments the Rangers try to keep them close to Arlington. It’s expected the Rangers will move Langford’s rehab to Frisco when the RoughRiders open a series on Tuesday.

Langford is expected to play another game in the field and play seven innings, followed by a nine-inning game. Should he begin playing on Tuesday, he could play back-to-back games and be ready to return to the Rangers when they return from St. Louis and start a series with the Cleveland Guardians on Friday. Langford told reporters last week that’s the date he’s targeting for a return.

He went on the IL on April 21. Langford had a setback during his first rehab game in Arizona on May 1, one that shut him down for a week. Before the injury, Langford was slashing .238/.274/.363 with one home run and four RBI but had broken out of a significant slump in the last few games prior to that.