Latest injury update on Evan Carter and Josh Jung gives hope Rangers could be turning corner
The Rangers may soon be getting some reinforcements from the injured list. Josh Jung and Evan Carter are slowly making progress towards returning.
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The Texas Rangers have been without a few key pieces for a while. Both Evan Carter and Josh Jung have spent significant time on the injured list. Jung has been dealing with right wrist inflammation, while Carter has been out since late May with a lumbar sprain. However, the Rangers recently got some good news on their injured stars.
The team had a workout on Thursday at Globe Life Field, and both stars ran the bases. Jung also fielded some ground balls at third base and played a little catch with Jacob deGrom, who is also still recovering. He even took swings off a tee in Houston prior to Thursday.
"[It was] good. No pain," said Jung. "That's a good thing."
Josh Jung still feeling no pain.
— Stefan Stevenson (@StefanVersusTex) July 18, 2024
But he doesn't know what the next step is. pic.twitter.com/zjfWUsaTzd
Injured Rangers stars making progress towards returning
Jung was hit on the wrist by a pitch just four games into the season, and he has been out ever since. Carter's back had been bothering him for weeks before he was placed on the injured list. Thankfully, it appears that both stalled stars are making progress towards returning.
Having Carter and Jung back should give the Rangers a huge boost, and it might ultimately determine what they do at the trade deadline. While Texas is 7.5 games out in the Wild Card race, they are only five games out of first place in the AL West, though they'll have to jump past the Houston Astros before getting to the Seattle Mariners.
But at 46-50, Texas is far from out of it, and the eventual returns of Jung and Carter should help them. The Rangers could ultimately be sellers at this year's deadline, or they might look to stand pat, as having their full team together could be what gets them out of their rut. The defending World Series champions have won seven of their last 10 games, keeping their playoff hopes alive.
The Rangers will kick off an important three-game series at home on Friday against the Baltimore Orioles, the upstart team they beat in the ALDS last October. Carter and Jung played a key role in guiding the Rangers to their first World Series title, and these positive updates on both stars should be encouraging for Rangers fans clinging to rebound hope.