Inside The Rangers

Watch: Jung Smashes First Home Run, Texas Rangers Lead Early

Texas Rangers third baseman Josh Jung hit his first home run of the 2023 MLB season to give his team the lead on Sunday Night Baseball.

Kade Kistner

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ARLINGTON, Texas - Josh Jung is finally the everyday third baseman for the Texas Rangers after years of being their top prospect in the organization. Injuries de-railed his plans of being with the big club on Opening Day in 2022, but that came to fruition this season. 

Now, he is making the most of it on the big stage. In the second inning of the Rangers' home return to ESPN Sunday Night Baseball, Jung deposited one in the right-field stands. A 382-foot blast to give the Rangers the early 1-0 lead over the Philadelphia Phillies on national television.

Adding to the moment, Jung's home run came as Phillies star shortstop Trea Tuner was in the middle of an on-field interview as ESPN was asking him about his favorite cheese steak spot in Philadelphia. 

Jung is just one more cog in this Texas offense that has begun to define itself in the early goings of the fledgling MLB season. The Rangers scored 27 runs in the first two games of the series and were looking for a sweep Sunday.

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You can find Kade Kistner on Twitter @KadeKistner.

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Kade Kistner
KADE KISTNER

Kade Kistner is the publisher and beat writer for Sports Illustrated's Inside the Phillies, Cubs and Astros. He is also an editor for Inside the Rangers. An alumnus of Tulane University, Kade graduated in 2017 with a degree in Latin American Studies and a minor in Spanish. Upon graduation, Kade commissioned into the United States Navy and attended Naval Flight School in Pensacola, Fl. He served as a Naval Aviator and was stationed in Jacksonville, Fl. During his time in school and the Navy, Kade began covering the MLB and NFL with USA Today, SB Nation, and Sports Illustrated. Kade covered the New Orleans Saints, Texas Rangers, and numerous other teams within the Sports Illustrated network before launching Inside the Phillies, Inside the Astros, and Inside the Cubs. You can follow him on Twitter at @KadeKistner, or if you have any questions or comments he can be reached via email at kwkistner@gmail.com.

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