Rangers News: bullpen shuffle, Josh Jung's lukewarm update, Ezequiel Duran's incredible feat

The Texas Rangers close out the month of August with a 13-15 record to bring them to 68-70. That has the team sitting two games behind the Houston Astros for the AL West crown and 1.5 games back of the Cleveland Guardians for the final wild card spot.

It's fair to say that things haven't gone Texas's way recently. The club lost control of first place in the division, and despite finally seeing Corey Seager come to life, it has lost games that it should have won. With that said, the Rangers have won two straight and head into the final stretch with some mild momentum.

There are a few updates here that will be key to how they get off the ground in September. We see some positives, but also some concerns being exacerbated, because as we've learned this season, nothing can be easy for Texas.

Cole Winn and Peyton Gray injuries lead to more Rangers bullpen shuffling

The Rangers bullpen, specifically the arms handling middle relief, has been a problem of late. Perhaps better said, this area has been a weakness all season, and it's one that Chris Young failed to adequately address at the trade deadline.

Now, we're going to see some shuffling amongst the arms that typically handle this work. Both Peyton Gray (right elbow inflammation) and Cole Winn (right rotator cuff strain) have been placed on the IL, with Robby Ahlstrom and Ben Peoples being called up to take their places.

What the impact will be remains to be seen. Gray had been a pleasant surprise for much of the year, but he's hit a wall with a 4.64 ERA in the second half. Winn has struggled pretty much throughout, with a 5.63 ERA on the season.

Ahlstrom has looked dominant at times, but most recently had a string of subpar outings that led to his demotion. Peoples had posted a 2.93 ERA over 15 1/3 innings of work, but a lack of strikeouts, a few too many walks, and a propensity to give up the long ball has him owning a 5.82 FIP that may better represent his performance.

It's tough to say whether or not this switch makes the Rangers' bullpen better, worse, or about the same.

The Rangers get good Josh Jung news... sort of

If it's felt like forever that Josh Jung went down with a calf strain, that's because it's been longer than expected. The breakout third baseman last suited up on July 21, and the offense immediately cratered alongside his absence.

Another reason why it's felt like ages since Jung last played has to do with the fact that his progress has been painfully slow in terms of his recovery. Updates have been few and far between, but when they have come out, they haven't provided much optimism.

How you feel about things now depends on your general outlook on life. The latest news is that Jung is a full participant in all baseball activities, but running is still giving him trouble. He's going to rest for a few days and then ramp up again, with the hopes of beginning a rehab assignment over the weekend.

While that pretty much feels like par for the course, it's a small bit of progress and if things go well later in the week, we could finally get some good news on this front. Texas's lineup could certainly use the boost.

Ezequiel Duran's awesome defensive play has the Rangers' utility man in a class of his own

Ezequiel Duran just can't stop showing out. With each passing day, he's proven that "The Solution" nickname is more and more apt. He's bailed out the Rangers by taking over shortstop during Seager's many absences. He's solidified the hot corner with Jung on the mend. He's been playing more outfield recently, too.

The 27-year-old has appeared at every position on the diamond save for pitcher and catcher. He's excelled defensively everywhere Skip Schumaker has asked him to play, too.

Duran is the only player in the majors to post positive outs above average at four different positions: second base, shortstop, third base, and center field. In particular, his 11 OAA at shortstop over just 384 innings truly stands out.

He's truly been amazing in the field, with a cannon for an arm and fantastic range, and his bat has been solid for pretty much the entire season. It's setting him up to make history as the first ultility man to take home both Gold Glove and Silver Slugger honors.

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