Meet Me In St. Louis? Could Josh Jung Return To Texas Rangers Lineup Monday Against Cardinals?

The Texas Rangers All-Star third baseman went 1 for 3 with a single for Double-A Frisco on Friday, his first rehab appearance in more than a month as he recovers from a fractured right wrist.

Stefan Stevenson/Texas Rangers On SI

FRISCO — Josh Jung was back on the diamond playing in a real game Friday night.

The Texas Rangers All-Star third baseman went 1 for 3 with a single, groundout, and strikeout in his first rehab game in more than a month with Double-A Frisco.

Jung played six innings and fielded one ground ball at third base. He'll be the designated hitter for the RoughRiders on Saturday night.

"It was good. Just to get back out there and play baseball again," Jung said. "[My] body feels great. I haven't done anything in four months, so I'm in a good spot."

Jung, who is rehabbing from April 2 surgery to repair his fractured right wrist after being hit by a pitch in Tampa Bay, played four rehab games with Triple-A Round Rock in June but was forced to shut down for three weeks after inflammation in his wrist flared up. Jung said he probably rushed back too quickly, which exacerbated the inflammation. Building strength in his wrist, which only came with more time, helped alleviate the inflammation.

How many at-bats does he need before returning to the Rangers lineup? And does he have a say? That's a good question, he said with a smile.

"I have no idea. I've never been through this before. I couldn't tell you," he said.

In his first at-bat on Friday, Jung lined a single with an exit velocity of 95 mph to left field on an 0-2 89 mph cutter. He grounded out to short on a tapper in his second AB and struck out in his final AB.

"I was all over the place the whole time. I was just a little antsy," he said. "You just have to get back to seeing the ball and feeling the ball in space. I started swinging at pitches I don't need to swing at, but that's just part of [the rehab process]."

Josh Jung on his first rehab game in a month ... pic.twitter.com/hnmTD7Qpei

— Stefan Stevenson (@StefanVersusTex) July 27, 2024

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