Texas Rangers expect Wyatt Langford (oblique) to be ready for Opening Day

Texas Rangers outfielder Wyatt Langford won’t do any baseball activities for up to a week, but the expectation is he will be ready in plenty of time for Opening Day.

SURPRISE, Ariz. — Manager Bruce Bochy stopped a line of questioning about the starting rotation Friday morning to alert the assembled media of some noteworthy Texas Rangers injury news: Wyatt Langford has a strained left oblique.

The overriding message from Bochy, though, is that Langford should have ample time to get himself ready for Opening Day once he’s cleared to return to swinging a bat.

The outfielder will be held out of baseball activities for five to seven days after first feeling something Wednesday. He underwent an MRI exam Thursday that showed the low-grade strain.

“It’s not going to affect Opening Day,” said Bochy, who described the strain as “very mild.”

The strain is worse than the one former first baseman Nathaniel Lowe had last spring that kept him out the first three weeks of the season. Lowe, though, was injured March 8, and Langford feels better than Lowe did initially after the injury.

Nevertheless, don’t be surprised if Langford doesn’t make his Cactus League debut until mid-March. That’s still plenty of time to gather at-bats for the March 27 season opener against the Red Sox.

“Again, we don’t think is going to impact Opening Day,” Bochy said. “The timing couldn’t have been better. We’re really just starting the first game. Sometimes guys don’t even start things until March 1. He won’t have any problem getting the number of at-bats that he needs.”

Sam Haggarty started in left field in the spring opener, a 5-2 loss to the Royals. The Rangers have ample outfield depth and could turn to Evan Carter or Leody Taveras in left field if Langford isn’t ready.

Josh Smith and Ezequiel Duran can play the outfield, and Haggarty and Cody Thomas in camp on minor-league deals. Dustin Harris could be the leading option in the minors.

Langford rates as the exception on the injury front so far this spring. Left-hander Robert Garcia is no longer on the injury report with nerve irritation, and he threw a second bullpen session Friday. Left-hander Kohl Drake expects to throw Saturday after dealing with back stiffness, and right-hander David Buchanan tested his sprained left ankle with a bullpen session.

First baseman Jake Burger is expected to leave the team this weekend to return to be with his family as his infant daughter undergoes heart surgery early next week in Nashville.

Jeff Wilson, jwilson@alldlls.com