Dallas – The Texas Rangers announced a roster shuffle on Saturday, moving third‑baseman Josh Jung to the 10‑day injured list after he suffered a right‑hand fracture when he was hit by a pitch from Minnesota Twins starter Joe Ryan in the first inning of Friday’s 10‑2 loss.
Jung, 28, stayed in the game after the hit, even scoring a run, but he was removed for a pinch‑hitter during his next plate appearance. The injury forces the Rangers to adjust their line‑up with only two games remaining in the regular season.
Jung’s season performance
Despite the setback, Jung finished the regular season with a .299 batting average, 12 home runs and 42 RBIs. He also posted career‑best numbers with 27 doubles and 35 walks. After returning from a left‑calf strain that landed him on the injured list from July 22 to Sept. 11, Jung appeared in 12 games and hit .341 with three home runs and seven RBIs.
Rangers’ immediate replacements
To fill the vacancy, Texas recalled left‑handed pitcher Robby Ahlstrom and catcher/designated hitter Logan O’Hoppe from Triple‑A Round Rock. Ahlstrom, 27, is entering his third major‑league stint of the season. He has compiled a 3‑1 record with a 6.08 ERA across 42 relief appearances.
O’Hoppe, 26, made an immediate impact during his first stint with the club, batting .353 in ten games (six starts) as a designated hitter. The former Los Angeles Angels prospect was acquired at the trade deadline.
Additional roster move
The Rangers also optioned right‑handed pitcher Gavin Collyer to the Arizona Complex League. Collyer, 25, allowed two runs in two relief innings on Friday and holds a 1‑1 record with a 5.40 ERA and 23 strikeouts over 24 relief appearances in four separate stints this season.
Playoff race context
Entering Saturday’s games, the Rangers were tied with the Houston Astros for the American League West lead, each fighting for a postseason berth with only two games left. The Astros retain the tiebreaker advantage, having a 9‑4 record against Texas this season.
“That’s pretty significant,” Rangers manager Chris Schumaker said after Friday’s loss. “Him and Joc (Pederson) both with hand fractures or wrist fractures, it’s not ideal at this time of the year. But we’ve still gotta go. We have two games left, and we’ve gotta figure this thing out.”
With the season winding down, the Rangers hope the additions of Ahlstrom and O’Hoppe will provide the depth needed to finish strong and secure a playoff spot.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
