ARLINGTON, Texas — Texas Rangers third baseman Josh Jung resumed jogging after 10 days off, during which he wore a walking boot, according to The Dallas Morning News.
Jung has also fielded ground balls and continued a hitting progression. He has not given a return date.
Jung said jogging “felt great” compared to before. He called an MRI he underwent Friday “promising” but said his calf isn’t fully healed and will need ongoing care for the rest of the season.
Jung has been sidelined since July 22 due to a lower calf strain. He exited a 10-0 victory against the Chicago White Sox on July 21 because of calf tightness, and Texas placed him on the injured list four days afterward.
Josh Jung Was Leading Texas In Batting Average
Jung was hitting .294/.361/.441 across 92 games when he went on the injured list, the highest batting average on the team. He had 104 hits, 9 home runs and 35 RBIs, and his 132 OPS+ ranks as the best mark of his career.
The 28-year-old is on pace to clear the .251 average and 14 home runs he posted over 131 games last season. He hit .266 with 23 home runs and 70 RBIs as a rookie in 2023, when he made the All-Star team and finished fourth in American League Rookie of the Year voting.
Jung has a one-year, $2.9 million deal and will be arbitration-eligible in 2027. He is under club control through 2028.
Josh Jung Was Drafted Eighth Overall In 2019
Texas selected Jung in the first round of the 2019 draft out of Texas Tech. The San Antonio native homered in his first major league at-bat against the Toronto Blue Jays on Sept. 9, 2022.
Jung batted .308 with 3 home runs and 8 RBIs across 17 postseason games during the 2023 run to the World Series title. He is a career .264 hitter with 58 home runs and 196 RBIs over five seasons, all with Texas.
His younger brother, Jace Jung, is also a professional infielder.
Texas Rangers Injury Situation
Right-hander Nathan Eovaldi remains on the 15-day injured list with right posterior elbow inflammation. Jack Leiter is scheduled to make his second rehab start Thursday for Double-A Frisco.
As of Tuesday, Texas’s record was 61-64, with the Houston Astros ahead in the American League West by two games.
Washington and Texas face off once more on Wednesday at Globe Life Field. The game starts at 7:05 p.m. CT and will be broadcast on Rangers Sports Network.
