The Texas Rangers made several roster moves ahead of Friday’s matchup with the Detroit Tigers, but none included Josh Jung.
Jung, who was sent to Triple-A Round Rock on July 2 to refine his swing and plate discipline, isn’t ready to rejoin the major league club, according to manager Bruce Bochy and the Rangers’ leadership.
“He’s still working to rediscover his game,” Bochy said.
Before his demotion, Jung was batting .237 with a .283 on-base percentage and a .366 slugging percentage over 75 games, posting a .649 OPS — the lowest of his MLB career, including his brief 26-game debut in 2022. He had eight home runs and 35 RBIs, but strikeouts were a major concern, with 73 in 279 at-bats (30.5%). That’s slightly improved from his 31.5% strikeout rate in 2023, but his overall production has dipped. In comparison, his batting averages in 2023 and 2024 were .266 and .264, respectively.
Advanced metrics also paint a concerning picture. Jung’s Statcast profile is largely in the blue — signaling below-average performance. His 35% chase rate ranks in the 10th percentile, while his 26.7% whiff rate sits in the 33rd percentile.
“He’s down there for a reason,” Bochy emphasized. “He needs to fix his swing and approach. Once he’s ready, he’ll be back.”
Earlier in the season, Jung had been one of the Rangers’ steadier hitters, hitting as high as .280 on May 20. However, a sharp decline followed: from June 1 onward, his average dropped from .277 to .237. Over his final 25 games before being sent down, he hit just .158 with one homer and 12 RBIs.
Since joining Round Rock, Jung has batted .214/.241/.393 with one home run and three RBIs across six games, striking out seven times in 28 at-bats.
He isn’t the first Ranger to be sent down to fix offensive struggles. First baseman Jake Burger experienced a similar stint. Prior to being optioned, he was hitting .190 with a .231 OBP and three home runs. After returning, he improved to .250/.275/.442 with eight home runs and 23 RBIs before landing on the IL.
Adolis García underwent a different reset — a brief benching during a series in St. Louis to work on his approach. He responded by improving from a .208/.256/.371 slash line to .264/.304/.439 since returning, adding six home runs and 29 RBIs.
The Rangers are hoping Jung can follow a similar rebound path.
“He’s not there yet,” Bochy said, noting that he’s closely monitoring every one of Jung’s at-bats.