Texas Rangers third baseman Josh Jung has begun his rehab assignment with the Double-A Frisco RoughRiders, marking a brief stint in the minors before his expected return to the team next week.
Jung, who served as the designated hitter and batted second, faced the Corpus Christi Hooks, the Double-A affiliate of the Houston Astros. In his three at-bats, he went 1-for-3 with two RBIs. His first plate appearance resulted in a fly out to center field. However, in the second inning, Jung drove in two runs with a single to right field. He grounded out to shortstop in the fourth and was pinch-hit for in the seventh inning.
This game marks the first of two planned rehab games with the RoughRiders, with Jung set to play in the field on Sunday. If all goes according to plan, he will travel with the Rangers for their upcoming series against the Chicago Cubs, starting Monday.
Jung cannot be activated until Tuesday, but manager Bruce Bochy confirmed that they are aiming for him to play that day. “He’s doing very well,” Bochy commented on Jung’s recovery.
Jung initially joined the Rangers for Opening Day after dealing with neck spasms from spring training, but the injury was aggravated last Friday while making a defensive play. The team had hoped to avoid an IL stint for Jung, but after his replacement, Josh Smith, suffered a quad injury, they placed Jung on the IL and called up Jonathan Ornelas.
When healthy, Jung is a key contributor to the Rangers’ lineup. In 2023, he posted a .266/.315/.467 slash line with 23 home runs and 70 RBIs in 122 games. However, his health has been a recurring issue since the Rangers selected him in the first round of the 2019 draft. Injuries in past seasons, including a foot stress fracture, shoulder surgery, a fractured thumb, and a wrist injury, have kept him sidelined for extended periods. Despite the setbacks, he played a crucial role in the Rangers’ 2023 World Series championship.
