Rangers make plethora of roster moves before Athletics game
09/25/2024 01:13 AM
The Texas Rangers surprised the baseball world by winning the championship last season. The Rangers reached the playoffs for the first time in seven years in 2023. The team faced the Arizona Diamondbacks in the World Series, winning in five games and earning the first title in franchise history. Unfortunately, manager Bruce Bochy and company won't be repeating as champs in 2024.
A host of injuries, particularly to the team's starting pitchers, prevented the Rangers from mounting a serious effort at a repeat. At 74-82 Texas has been eliminated from playoff contention. Now the team is playing out the final games of a lost season.
On Tuesday, before the start of a three-game series against the Athletics in Oakland, the Rangers made a host of roster moves. Most notably, Texas placed third baseman Josh Jung on the 10-day IL and transferred pitcher Tyler Mahle to the 60-day IL, per Texas Rangers PR on X.
Jung was an All-Star for the Rangers in 2023, helping the team win the World Series. Last season Jung had 25 doubles, 23 home runs, 70 RBI and 70 runs scored. He produced an OPS+ of 113 and put up 2.4 bWAR in 122 games for the Rangers. Jung finished fourth in Rookie of the Year voting in 2023.
Rangers third baseman Josh Jung's season was lost to injury
This season was essentially a washout for the 26 year old. Jung was hit by a pitch in a game on April 1, which fractured his wrist and required surgery to repair the damage. Ultimately the second-year player was forced to miss nearly four months of action. He returned to the Rangers lineup on July 30 but inflammation and discomfort remained in his surgically repaired wrist. Jung has been on the shelf since September 18 and will now move to the 10-day IL with right wrist tendinitis, ending his season.
Jung was limited to just 46 games in his sophomore season. He had seven home runs, 16 RBI, 19 runs scored and a 105 OPS+ with 0.6 bWAR.
The Rangers signed veteran pitcher Mahle to a two-year, $22 million deal prior to the 2024 season. Mahle underwent Tommy John surgery in 2023, which cost him most of the season. His recovery from the surgery pushed his 2024 debut back to August 6. At the time, Texas anticipated Mahle playing a major role in the rotation as the team attempted to make a second-half push into the postseason.
Unfortunately, the eight-year veteran was only able to make three starts in 2024 before landing on the 15-day IL with shoulder tightness. Bochy announced that Mahle would be shut down for the remainder of the season earlier in September but the team officially moved him from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Tuesday.
The Rangers signed general manager Chris Young to an extension and promoted him to president of baseball operations. Texas hopes Young can help the team rebound from an off year and return as contenders in 2025.
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