Josh Jung swung a bat like a man possessed in his first two games back, yet the Texas Rangers are not rushing him into the starting lineup just because he hit a home run. The excitement around his return is real, but the reality of his role remains a puzzle that manager Skip Schumaker refuses to solve with a quick fix.
According to Dallas News, Jung went 3 for 9 with a homer and a double during his rehab stint, proving his hands are still sharp. He even played five innings at third base on Thursday and is scheduled for seven more innings at that position on Friday. The offensive numbers look great, but the defensive math is what is holding everything up.
The Defensive Dilemma
Manager Skip Schumaker stopped short of making any concrete plans for Jung once he returns to the active roster, leaving fans to guess where he fits in the daily lineup. The issue is simple: Jung struggles defensively, and the team has better options in the field against right-handed pitching. Dallas News reports that using him as a designated hitter against lefties is easy, but moving Joc Pederson into the field against righties creates a chain reaction of problems.
To make that work, Pederson would have to start at first base ahead of Jake Burger. This seems counterintuitive when you look at the stats. Burger has a massive .929 OPS against lefties, while his OPS drops to only .676 against right-handers. The team needs that power bat in the lineup, but they also need to defend the field without giving up easy runs.
Why The Bat Might Stay Cold
Schumaker praised the young player’s performance, noting that “He’s had a really good year,” according to Dallas News. That quote sounds like a warm-up for a full-time return, but the manager’s silence on the actual role tells a different story. The team is not going to ruin a good defensive setup just to get a hot bat in the lineup every single night.
It would become more complicated against right-handed pitching because it would mean moving DH Joc Pederson into the field, which Dallas News points out is a risky move. The Rangers have to weigh the value of Jung’s offense against the cost of weakening their defense. If the defensive shift means losing Burger’s power or putting Pederson in a spot he hates, the team might just keep Jung on the bench.
The fielding metrics can be more volatile with smaller sample sizes, so the team might wait for more data before making a final call on his position. Until then, Jung’s hot streak might not be enough to crack the starting nine against right-handed starters. The Rangers will wait for the perfect matchup rather than forcing a fit that does not work.
