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Josh Jung could miss rest of Texas Rangers' season

September 20, 2024

Texas Rangers third baseman Josh Jung hopes his surgeon is able to identify the cause of lingering discomfort near his right wrist (Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images).

The third baseman is bothered by discomfort in his right hand near the fracture that kept him out of the Rangers’ lineup for more than four months.

ARLINGTON — Third baseman Josh Jung was out of the Texas Rangers’ lineup Friday for the second consecutive game as he deals with soreness near the right wrist that was fractured April 1.

Manager Bruce Bochy said that Jung is doubtful to play this weekend in the final home series of the season. Jung said that on Monday he will visit the surgeon who repaired the fracture in Arizona.

He wants to play and lobbied unsuccessfully to start the opener against the Mariners. He hopes to be in the lineup next week during the final road trip if all goes well with his checkup with Dr. Don Sheridan.

Jung said the discomfort isn’t as bad as in June, when the Rangers pulled him from a rehab assignment. He didn’t return until July 30.

“June is definitely the worst that I felt. It’s not there,” Jung said. “The precautions we are taking is so it doesn’t get there.”

The Rangers were eliminated Thursday from the American League West race and could be knocked out of the wild-card hunt this weekend. With 2025 the focus, Jung understands the decision to hold him out potentially for the rest of the season.

He said that the pain emanates from the tendon that runs along the bone that was fractured and secured by a metal plate. He hopes that Sheridan can identify what is causing the issue and figure out a way to manage it without cortisone injections.

“I’d rather figure out what the legit problem is and figure out a solution,” Jung said. “That way coming into spring next year, it doesn’t flare up and I need to start the season with an injection.”

Jung is batting .248 with a .645 OPS in 42 games since returning from the injured list, but is hitting .297 in his past 17 games. Included in that stretch was his three-run walk-off homer Sept. 1

Ezequiel Duran started Thursday at third base, and Josh Smith was there Friday.

Jeff Wilson, jwilson@alldlls.com