Texas Rangers Make Tough Decision to Demote Josh Jung to Triple-A
ARLINGTON — To be clear, Texas Rangers president of baseball operations Chris Young said Wednesday afternoon, there’s no pleasure in this part of the job. Young, a big-league pitcher for more than a decade, doesn’t revel in the enforcement required to elicit the best out of each individual and a collective team. Yes, the Rangers must operate on a performance-first basis from here on out. No, the moves made based upon that philosophy are not done callously.
“I care about these guys,” Young said Wednesday. “These are very tough decisions, especially when these are players that we care about immensely.” The Rangers do indeed care about third baseman Josh Jung immensely.
The Decision to Demote Josh Jung
The Rangers optioned Jung, a former first-round pick and All-Star starter, to Triple-A Round Rock before Wednesday’s 6-0 win vs. the Baltimore Orioles after his month-long skid that showed few signs of a turnaround. The 27-year-old slashed .158/.208/.221 with 27 strikeouts to 5 walks and June and didn’t respond in any meaningful way to the two-day break that the Rangers gave him last week.
The Rangers concluded that a minor league assignment was both the last and best option for Jung to find a window of improvement. That, in turn, is the best option for the Rangers, too. “If he gets right,” Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said, “he’s going to make us a better club.”
Reasons Behind the Demotion
The hope is that Jung will not need to spend significant time in the minor leagues, according to Bochy, though his performance and progress will dictate that. “It’s tough to do it up here,” Bochy said. “We want him to go down in a situation where it’s maybe a little more relaxed and he can work on some things whether it’s mechanics or on the mental side and get right.”
The transaction is twofold and, from Young’s perspective, will ideally benefit both the major league club in the and Jung himself. The Rangers started Wednesday’s game vs. the Baltimore Orioles at Globe Life Field with a nine-and-a-half game deficit in the American League West and an offense that — despite some recent signs of life — ranked bottom five leaguewide in batting average (.228), on base percentage (.296) and slugging percentage (.366).
Impact on the Team
Jung, whose .429 OPS since June 1 was the second-worst among all qualified hitters leaguewide, had become a deterrent to wholesale offensive improvement with a worrisome swing-and-miss profile that carried a penchant for high-and-inside fastballs. His demotion will allow the Rangers to play the hottest eligible bat at third base whilst they begin a critical month that will all but decide the trajectory of their season.
They started infielder Ezequiel Duran at third base Wednesday and were rewarded with a two-out, two-run single from him in the fourth inning. Duran, second baseman Marcus Semien (three-run home run in the third inning) and shortstop Corey Seager (solo home run in the fourth) anchored the third-consecutive game in which the Rangers scored six or more runs.
Support from Teammates
Super utility man Josh Smith — whose .768 OPS is the highest among qualified Texas hitters — could likely see extended time at the position as well. Bochy said that performance will ultimately determine the lineup card. It determined Jung’s immediate future too.
Jung called June the “worst [month] ever” and acknowledged that “it’s just me versus me right now” before Monday’s game. The San Antonio native attempted to take on a larger leadership role this spring and is amongst the Rangers’ most candid players.
Previous Examples of Success
The belief is that the low-pressure minor league setting will provide Jung an opportunity to both clear his head and rediscover his swing in a far more friendly setting than the major leagues. Texas made a similar move earlier this season when it optioned first baseman Jake Burger to Triple-A Round Rock after his slow start.
Burger, who returned from an oblique strain Wednesday, posted a .561 OPS in his first 30 games this season. But, in the 35 games since his 10-day minor league stint designed to reset both his physical and mental approach, he’s yielded a .725 OPS.
“I know the type of player he is and know the type of player he wants to be on a daily basis,” Burger said of Jung. “You’ve got to take it with a positive attitude. Hopefully it’s a quick stay down there. Get right, get your head right and come back up. This ballclub needs him.”
Conclusion
The Rangers do, by all statistical accounts, need Jung at his best. They went 95-73 with Jung in the lineup from 2023-24. He slashed .265/.310/.454 with 30 home runs in those two years but, because of both a broken thumb and broken wrist, was limited to just 168 games.
His absences were felt on each occasion that he missed significant time. It’s been this season too. “He’s so important to us,” Young said, “and the main goal is to get him right.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why did the Rangers demote Josh Jung to Triple-A?
A: The Rangers demoted Jung due to his month-long skid that showed few signs of a turnaround. They hope that the low-pressure minor league setting will provide Jung an opportunity to both clear his head and rediscover his swing.
Q: How will Jung’s demotion affect the team?
A: Jung’s demotion will allow the Rangers to play the hottest eligible bat at third base whilst they begin a critical month that will all but decide the trajectory of their season.
Q: What is the expected outcome of Jung’s demotion?
A: The expected outcome is that Jung will be able to clear his head, rediscover his swing, and return to the major leagues as a better player, which will ultimately benefit the Rangers.
