Texas Rangers fans receive encouraging Josh Jung injury update

Rangers' Josh Jung expected to return Monday

Texas Rangers third baseman Josh Jung is expected to be back in the Rangers' lineup on Monday against the Chicago White Sox, according to the Dallas Morning News' Evan Grant. Jung, who hasn't appeared in a spring training game since Feb. 24 because of an adductor muscle strain in his thigh, had six plate appearances against Rangers pitchers Cody Bradford, Jalen Beeks and Carter Baumler Saturday. He will get some at-bats in a minor-league game today before returning to the big-league lineup tomorrow.

Jung should be ready for Opening Day. Expected to be Texas' starting third baseman this year, Jung needs to be fully healthy to avoid potentially losing his starting role.

In 2023, Jung made the American League (AL) All-Star team and posted 2.6 bWAR and a .266/.315/.467 (113 OPS+) slash line with 23 home runs and 70 RBI across 122 games en route to finishing fourth in AL Rookie of the Year voting. He also made a huge impact during Texas' World Series run that season, hitting .308/.329/.867 with three home runs, four doubles, one triple and eight RBI over 70 plate appearances in the playoffs.

Jung has suffered various injuries during his MLB career, leading him to play in just 46 games in 2024, during which he hit .264/.298/.421 (108 OPS+) with seven home runs and 16 RBI across 188 plate appearances. Jung was mostly healthy in 2025, but he wasn't as productive as Rangers fans had hoped.

Despite holding an OPS below .700 last year, Jung's OPS+ was exactly 100, meaning he was a league-average hitter. Still, he needs to step up his game at the plate if he wants to continue being the Rangers' starting third baseman.

Rangers' Kyle Higashioka, Justin Foscue recovering from injuries

Catcher Kyle Higashioka is also expected to return Monday, per Grant. Higashioka, who has been dealing with back stiffness, caught a couple of innings of live pitching and had two plate appearances against Beeks. Higashikoa last appeared in a spring training game on March 5.

As for Foscue, the infielder had six plate appearances during the live batting practice session. Grant wrote that Foscue isn't a candidate to make the Opening Day roster.

Foscue, who has been dealing with a right hamstring strain, was on an absolute tear at the plate before suffering his injury. In seven at-bats this spring, the infielder has hit a double and three singles with one RBI and one run scored.