Home Baseball Josh Jung, Evan Carter Work Out At Globe Life Field, But Returns Remain TBD

Josh Jung, Evan Carter Work Out At Globe Life Field, But Returns Remain TBD

Baseball — 07/19/2024

When can you expect Texas Rangers’ young sluggers Josh Jung and Evan Carter to return to the lineup after missing most of the 2024 season due to injuries?

Two of the key players from the Texas Rangers’ World Series championship run last fall have spent most of 2024 on the sidelines.

Josh Jung and Evan Carter, along with Rangers fans and the club’s front office, are hopeful that their days of watching are nearly over. The Rangers begin the second half of the season on Friday with a crucial series against the first-place Baltimore Orioles at Globe Life Field.

On Thursday afternoon, both Jung, 26, and Carter, 21, ran the bases during the Rangers’ workout at Globe Life Field. Jung also fielded grounders at third base and played catch with injured pitcher Jacob deGrom.

Jung has been intensifying his recovery from inflammation in his right wrist, which worsened during his first minor league rehab stint in early June. The club shut him down for nearly three weeks to let the inflammation subside. Recently, he took 15 swings off a tee in Houston and a few swings at flipped balls on Thursday.

“It was good. No pain,” Jung said. “That’s a good thing.”Oct 23, 2023; Houston, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers center fielder Evan Carter (32) celebrates with third baseman Josh Jung (6) after scoring during the first inning of game seven in the ALCS against the Houston Astros for the 2023 MLB playoffs at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Regarding his next steps, Jung is taking a cautious approach.

“I don’t know, I’m just going day by day because last time I started putting a date on it, it felt like I kind of rushed myself,” he said. “So we’re leaving it up in the air and when I feel good to go, we’ll pick it up.”

Carter has been sidelined since May 27 with a lumbar sprain. He was working out at the club’s Arizona Complex until the All-Star break. It remains unclear if he’ll return to Arizona this weekend, stay with the club, or begin his own rehab stint with Triple-A Round Rock.

Before his injury, Carter was batting .188 with five home runs and 15 RBI in 45 games. His back injury had been bothering him for at least a couple of weeks before he was placed on the IL.

Jung was placed on the IL after his right wrist was fractured by a pitch four games into the season. The 2023 All-Star was batting .412 with two homers, a double, a triple, and six RBI in less than four full games before the injury.