Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning Information had some optimistic updates from Rangers camp on Friday, reporting that supervisor Bruce Bochy is “extra optimistic” that Corey Seager and Josh Jung will each be within the Opening Day lineup on the finish of the month. Seager had surgical procedure on a sports activities hernia about six weeks in the past, whereas Josh Jung has been nursing a calf pressure since mid-February. Neither has performed a recreation to date in spring coaching, however each gamers determine to be key items for the membership because it seems to be to defend its 2023 World Sequence championship this season.
Seager, 30 subsequent month, gained World Sequence MVP honors through the membership’s title run within the fall and slashed a wonderful .327/.390/.623 en path to his fourth All-Star look and a second-place end in AL MVP voting. Jung, in the meantime, made his first profession All-Star look and completed fourth in AL Rookie of the Yr voting on the heels of a stable rookie marketing campaign that noticed him hit a decent .266/.315/.467 in 122 video games. Shedding both participant for an prolonged interval could be a big blow to the Rangers’ probabilities in a aggressive AL West that’s seen the Astros add star nearer Josh Hader whereas seeming additionally pursuing two-time Cy Younger award winner Blake Snell whereas the Mariners have utterly retooled their beginning lineup so as to add threatening gamers resembling Jorge Polanco and former Ranger Mitch Garver.
After all, the Rangers have versatile teenager Ezequiel Duran in a position to assist out on the left facet of the infield if both Jung or Seager had been to open the season on the shelf. Duran, 25 in Could, slashed a stable .276/.324/.443 in 439 journeys to the plate final yr whereas splitting time between all 4 infield spots and each outfield corners. With that being stated, Duran may already be tabbed to cowl for first baseman Nathaniel Lowe, who can be questionable for Opening Day on account of an indirect pressure. Other than Duran, the Rangers have Jose Barrero and Josh Smith as infield depth choices ought to Seager, Jung, and Lowe begin the season on the shelf.
