Wyatt Langford’s Slump: A Concern for the Rangers
WASHINGTON — The offensive malaise that has gripped most of the Rangers for most of the season has spread to Wyatt Langford.
Langford, who posted an .874 OPS from last August through April, has slowly been leaking air from his tires for the past month. In a 19 for 103 (.184) spiral over his last 27 games, Langford got the start off Sunday against Washington. It was his first day off since April 27. Langford and Josh Jung, who each had early stints on the 10-day IL, entered Sunday tied at 55 starts for third on the club behind Marcus Semien and Adolis García.
The Rangers’ Lineup: A Time for Rotation
With his roster as healthy as it’s been all year, manager Bruce Bochy now has more opportunity to rotate players in and out of the lineup and has been doing so. He sat García for four days last week and again on Sunday. Josh Jung and Corey Seager each got days off to start the Washington series.
With Monday’s scheduled off day ahead of a series at Minnesota, it gives Langford consecutive starts off.
Langford’s Struggles: A Chance to Clear His Head
“I talk about this all the time, just gives him a chance to clear his head a little bit,” Bochy said. “He plays with a lot of emotion and he gets frustrated because he’s competitive, but he still goes out there and plays great defense and plays the game hard and plays the right way. All players go through their little moments. He will be fine.”
Bochy said Langford had lately been swinging “underneath” a lot of pitches. It is not unlike the issue he had at the start of his rookie season in 2024 when his starting hand movement got a bit exaggerated and his leg kick ended up bigger.
Langford’s Trouble with Off-Speed Pitches
But a different issue has cropped up this year: Langford has been helpless against off-speed pitches. To date, he’s not seen a significantly higher percentage of them than last year (11% in both seasons), but he is 0 for 22 against changeups and splitters with 14 strikeouts. He’s seen the pitches 104 times, swung at them 45 and missed 24 (a 53.3% whiff rate).
A year ago, Langford hit .250 against the pitches, but thanks to six extra base hits, slugged .510. He also whiffed at it a more manageable 35.6% of the time.
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Conclusion
Wyatt Langford’s slump is a concern for the Rangers, but manager Bruce Bochy believes that with a chance to clear his head, Langford will be fine. The Rangers’ lineup rotation has given Langford consecutive starts off, which may help him regain his form. Langford’s trouble with off-speed pitches is a new issue that he needs to address, but with his competitive spirit and great defense, he is expected to bounce back.
FAQs
Q: What is Wyatt Langford’s current slump?
A: Langford has been in a 19 for 103 (.184) spiral over his last 27 games.
Q: Why did Langford get a start off on Sunday?
A: Langford got a start off on Sunday to give him a chance to clear his head and because the Rangers’ roster is healthy, allowing for lineup rotation.
Q: What is Langford’s issue with off-speed pitches?
A: Langford is 0 for 22 against changeups and splitters with 14 strikeouts and has a 53.3% whiff rate against these pitches.
