Texas Rangers rookie third baseman and All-Star Josh Jung suffered a fractured thumb on his left (non-throwing hand), manager Bruce Bochy told reporters on Sunday.
Jung’s injury occurred in the sixth inning of Texas’ eventual 6-0 win over the Marlins on Sunday when he attempted to snare a hard liner off the bat of Jorge Soler. Jung knocked down the liner and started a double play. Take a look:
After Jung left the game, Josh Smith slid over to third base from short, and Ezequiel Duran entered the game as shortstop.
It’s not yet certain how long Jung will be sidelined with the injury, but his will potentially be a lengthy absence. The 25-year-old former No. 8 overall pick out of Texas Tech has thrived across 109 games with the Rangers this season. Over that span, he’s slashed .274/.323/.489 with 22 home runs and 24 doubles. As well, Statcast grades him as a solidly above-average defender at the hot corner and he earned an All-Star selection.
The Rangers have comfortably exceeded expectations this season, and Jung has been a critical part of that success. Sunday’s win, the sixth in a row for Texas, pushed them to 66-46 on the season. They maintain a 2.5-game lead over the Astros at the top of the American League West standings.
