ARLINGTON - Corey Seager took a big step forward Friday, but the Texas Rangers may be staring at a different roster problem with Josh Jung.
Seager’s day went well beyond a standard live batting practice. He also handled infield work, up-and-downs and full baserunning, making the session look a lot like a rehab game without actually sending him out on an affiliate assignment.
Rangers manager Bruce Schumaker said the club still wants Seager to get at least one more live batting practice, likely Saturday or Sunday, though that timing will depend on Seager and on finding a suitable pitcher from Double-A or Triple-A. For now, Sunday is the target.
“The setup we had going was almost like a rehab assignment,” Schumaker said. “But it’s tough to mimic certain things.”
A minor league rehab stint is still possible, but Schumaker made it clear the Rangers are not locked into that path. For Seager, one or two games away from the big league club could be enough.
Jung’s situation, though, is trending the other way. Before the clubhouse opened, he ran and did other baseball activities, but Schumaker said he still couldn’t get to full speed. The manager put him at about 50%.
Jung exited Tuesday’s game with a calf injury and sat out Wednesday. Thursday was an off day, and the Rangers had hoped the extra time would get him back for Friday. It didn’t.
“I saw him run,” Schumaker said. “He couldn’t run.
… He can’t sprint. It’s tough to lobby when you can’t run.”
Schumaker didn’t shut the door on Jung as a pinch-hitter, but he also didn’t sound optimistic about where the third baseman stands in his recovery. The Rangers need to sort out their plan soon with a weekend series against Seattle looming, and Ezequiel Duran started at third base Friday.
At this point, Jung appears close to the injured list.
“Probably pretty soon,” he said. “Yeah, we’re going to have to make a decision on what that looks like. It’s tough to be a man down in any series.
In Other News...
Should Rangers Bet On A Familiar Deadline Fix For Rotation Woes
With the trade deadline approaching, the Rangers are still sorting through a rotation that has been hit by uncertainty and needs innings in the worst way. Jordan Montgomery, Cody Bradford and Jack Leiter have all added to the sense that Texas may need to look outside the organization for a starter, and the club is at least exploring the kind of low-cost move that could steady things without forcing a major long-term commitment.
One familiar name has surfaced as a possible fit because of the way the market and the Rangers needs line up. The pitcher in question has had a rough overall season with the Giants, but his recent run has been better, including a July stretch that suggests there may still be something usable there. For Texas, the appeal is obvious: a short-term fix, limited risk and a chance to patch a glaring hole without paying a premium, even if the final decision comes down to whether the front office believes the rebound is real. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Face A Deadline Gamble Fans Will Be Split On
With the trade deadline closing in, the Rangers are being pushed toward a familiar kind of decision: whether to spend prospect capital on help for a bullpen that needs another reliable right-handed arm for the middle innings and high-leverage spots. The idea is straightforward enough for a club trying to stay in the race, but it still comes with the usual cost of moving young talent before it has fully arrived in Arlington.
Corey Seager is the other part of the conversation, and it is the one that figures to split fans more sharply. Even with the slump and the injury questions hanging over him, the case against dealing him is clear enough: the Rangers should not be in the business of taking a low-end return on a player with that kind of track record and importance. For now, the deadline pressure is less about whether Texas should make a move than about how far it is willing to go without turning a short-term fix into a long-term mistake. [Read more 🡒]
Two New Rangers Arms Just Changed The Prospect Conversation
The Rangers 2026 draft class already looks like it could reshape how the organization is viewed on the prospect front, with both Gio Rojas and Brody Bumila landing on ESPN MLB insider Kiley McDaniels updated top 10 list. Rojas, the No. 16 overall pick, came in with the kind of pedigree that usually forces a quick adjustment in a farm system, while Bumila arrived as a later selection after the Rangers went well above slot to get him signed for $2.75 million.
For a club that has spent the past few years trying to keep its pipeline stocked, having two new arms jump into the conversation this quickly is a notable development. Rojas was a high-profile high school pitcher before turning pro, and Bumilas own prep resume made him one of the more intriguing additions in the class, giving Texas a pair of young pitchers worth tracking as they begin their pro careers. [Read more 🡒]