The Rangers know exactly what Wyatt Langford means to their second-half push, and that’s why his hamstring recovery has to be handled with care.
On Tuesday in Arlington, there was a positive sign: Jeff Wilson of DLLS Sports reported that Langford ran at high intensity during pre-game work. Langford also told Wilson and others that he’s hoping to be back before the All-Star break, which begins after Sunday’s game against Houston. That would leave five more games, and while that sounds like good news, it also opens the door to a risky decision.
Texas has already laid out the picture. Last weekend, president of baseball operations Chris Young met with reporters for about 20 minutes and answered questions about both Langford and Corey Seager.
Langford has been on the injured list since June 28, and he is eligible to return Wednesday. Young also confirmed that the hamstring injury is a Grade 2 strain.
That matters. Houston infielder Isaac Paredes dealt with a Grade 2 hamstring strain right after the All-Star break last year and missed two months.
He came back for the final two weeks, but he still wasn’t 100%. Young also noted that injuries exist on a continuum of severity, so Paredes’ case may have been more serious than Langford’s.
Still, the warning from Young was clear.
“We need both of these guys in the second half so we can’t skip steps in their rehab right now,” Young said. “It could jeopardize anything moving forward.”
That’s the line the Rangers have to keep in mind. Langford wants to play - and there’s nothing unusual about that - but this is his second stint on the injured list this season, and hamstring problems have followed him before in his career. The team was quiet Tuesday about the idea of an early return, and that silence makes sense.
Before the injury, Langford’s bat was carrying real weight in the lineup. Over his last 15 games, he hit .359/.406/.703 with six home runs and 15 RBI. Texas needs that version of him once the season turns to the second half.
If that means waiting until the trip to Atlanta after the All-Star break, so be it. The Rangers can’t afford to rush him for a few extra games before Sunday night.
In Other News...
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The Rangers trade-deadline picture is getting more complicated than a simple buyers-or-sellers label, and three names keep surfacing in the conversation. Kumar Rocker, Josh Smith and Corey Seager all sit in very different spots on the roster, but each has enough uncertainty around him to make rival clubs wonder whether Texas might listen if the right offer comes along before Aug. 3.
Rockers early run as a starter has not quite matched the raw stuff that made him such an intriguing arm, while Smiths value is tied more to his versatility than to any clear everyday role. Seager is the biggest name of the group, and his situation is shaped by the kind of long-term considerations front offices always weigh carefully, especially when a players trade protection can change if a deal is not made in time. [Read more 🡒]
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Boones other choice was a more surprising one, especially for a club that could hear plenty of calls on pitching depth as the deadline approaches. He made the case for Jacob Latz as a pitcher he would keep off the table, citing the way he has handled relief work and even closing duties, which gives the Rangers a useful arm with a role that can still grow. [Read more 🡒]
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The problem is that Texas does not have an easy answer on either side of the market. The farm system has already taken real hits in recent deal-making, and injuries to key players have made the current roster harder to evaluate as a true contender. Even the sell-off path is messy, with limited movable pieces and contract situations that do not create much obvious value, which is why the Rangers are staring at one of the more uncomfortable deadlines in the league. [Read more 🡒]