Rangers' Josh Jung looks like rookie version of himself after lackluster start to season

Four games into the season, the Texas Rangers faced a huge Josh Jung problem, as the third baseman was still hitless through 17 at-bats and serious discussions were close to happening about his replacement.

Thankfully, the third baseman has found some rhythm. After a double in Tuesday's loss to the Athletics, the 28-year-old extended his hit streak to six games.

His arrival comes at a perfect time helping the offense score 15 runs in Chavez Ravine over the weekend, despite the series loss, and an additional eight in Sacramento in the series opening 8-1 win over the Athletics.

Jung is backing up Skip's offseason comments

During the offseason, Rangers' manager Skip Schumaker was heavy on Jung saying the main goal for 2026 was to get back to the time where team's feared the former All-Star. That player seems to have returned in April.

Since the calendar shifted to April, Jung is 12-for-32 (.375) with four runs, three RBIs, and only one more strikeouts than walks (5 to 4), plus reaching base safely in 10 of his last 11 games. Compare that to his .000 average in the first four games; it's like he's a whole new person. He's even appeared at the plate late in games, most recently driving in a pair of runs in the Rangers' opening game in the series in Sacramento.

With all of that happening after he was benched against the Baltimore Orioles, it appears that Skip Schumaker's decision-making is already coming in handy in just a month into his first year with the team. At the rate that Jung is at, he could be named an All-Star for the first time since 2023. Huge for the Rangers and huge for the player himself.

Rangers hopeful health, offense remains high for Jung

It was after he suffered yet another injury, this time an abductor strain, that caused him to miss most of this year's spring training, something that the 28-year-old has been plagued with since being drafted.

He tore his labrum lifting weights back in 2022, delaying his MLB debut. Then, after missing two months of the 2023 season because of a broken thumb, he played just 46 games in 2024 due to tendinitus and a wrist fracture.

Last season might've been the roughest one for Jung yet, who, after coming back from his seventh career IL placement, performed at a very substandard level. Batting .158 through June 2025, his performance was so worrisome that he was sent down to Triple-A for a few weeks.

However, there now seems to be little trace of the player Jung was last year. While he did have a poor start to the year, it seems that the issue was rust. With it all shaken off, he could be set for a big season. The Rangers and their fans just have to hope that his old tendencies don't start popping back up.

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