On Sunday, the Texas Rangers placed 3B Josh Jung on the 10-day injured list after he was out of Saturday’s lineup against the Red Sox due to neck spasms. Jung went 3-for-7 with three singles in his first two games of the season against Boston after hitting .204 with one home run in 27 games in spring training.
Rangers transactions for Sunday:
-3B Josh Jung placed on 10-day Injured List (neck spasms), retroactive to March 29
-INF Jonathan Ornelas (#24) recalled from Round Rock (AAA)— Texas Rangers PR (@TXRangersPR) March 30, 2025
Jung is expected to only need the minimum time on the injured list and should be ready to return in just over a week. He may not have needed to go on the injured list at all if Josh Smith didn’t have to leave the game on Saturday as well. Smith was pursuing a foul pop down the third base line in the top of the first when he crashed into the side wall and hit hard against a post.
He had to be removed from the game and is not in Sunday’s lineup. Jonathan Ornelas was recalled from Triple-A and is in Sunday’s lineup batting seventh against Richard Fitts and the Red Sox.
Fantasy baseball impact
Jung is a quality option at the hot corner when available, but while he is out Ornelas and Smith will help fill in. Smith hit .258 with 13 home runs, 11 stolen bases, and a .323 wOBA in 149 games last season. He’ll be a decent replacement for the next week, and hopefully Jung’s neck spasms do not become a major issue.
Ornelas spent most of last year in Triple-A, where he hit .251 with three homers and nine stolen bases. He did not attempt a stolen base in his 26 career MLB contests, so he has limited upside but could be used as a punt play in stacks when in the lineup like on Sunday.
