Texas Rangers Slugger Explains Reaction to Walk-off Home Run

Josh Jung’s season has been a struggle, but his home run on Sunday may have put the Texas Rangers third baseman on the right track.

Sep 1, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers third baseman Josh Jung (6) is doused with water by second baseman Marcus Semien (2) after Jung hits a game winning three run walk-off home run during the tenth inning against the Oakland Athletics at Globe Life Field. / Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

ARLINGTON — Josh Jung’s walk-off home run against the Oakland Athletics on Sunday wasn’t the no-doubter some might have thought. At least it wasn’t to him.

“I was trying to push it — I wasn’t really trying to make it stay fair, I was just trying push it,” the Texas Rangers third baseman said of his reaction to his 10th inning, walk-off home run. “I was just trying to push it. I didn’t know what was going on. I just wanted it to leave the yard.”

It did, and the Rangers walked away with a 6-4 win with a second straight walk-off victory. It’s a bit sweeter when it’s a home run, though, especially for Jung, who has been through the wringer this season.

He missed most of the first four months after suffering a broken wrist after he was hit by a pitch at Tampa Bay during the first full week of the season. His surgery revealed an injury that was worse than the Rangers expected and once he was medically cleared he had setbacks related to soreness with the wrist.

The wrist isn’t sore anymore, but getting back into a rhythm has been slow for the second-year pro. He’s not certain he’s totally turned the corner yet. He’s still lunging at pitches he normally takes. His power has been tantalizing close to consistency and then it goes away.

Sunday’s slam was just his fifth home run of the season.

“It’s just inconsistency in the box,” Jung said. “I’ll find my swing, and then all of a sudden I’ve lost it and I don’t know how to hit and I’m chasing stuff in the dirt again.”

Jung had what he felt were a couple of quality at-bats before that on Sunday. But his home run off Athletics All-Star closer Mason Miller was one of those hits that just went along for the ride.

It traveled just 348 feet and hugged the right field foul pole. Miller’s pitch was 101.7 mph and it is now the fastest pitch off which a Rangers batter has homered in the Statcast era (beg. 2015).

Jung has always had opposite field power. It is part of what makes him such a dangerous hitter. After a rookie season in which he batted .266 with 23 home runs and 70 RBI, his batting average for this season in 32 games is .260. He’s quickly found the ability to make contact.

But his slugging is down 40 points from last year, as is his on-base percentage.

Perhaps that explained Jung’s celebration at the plate with his teammates. It was a release from the everyday struggle of getting back on track. He even received something that’s been a rarity this year — a Powerade bath post-game, provided by, of all people, second baseman Marcus Semien.

Perhaps Semien knew his younger teammate needed the encouragement after what has been a tough season.

“It’s a positive thing,” Jung said. “It puts things in the right direction.”