Texas Rangers Make Moves
The Texas Rangers have set an unofficial club record by placing the most players on the injured list while on a break from the schedule. However, they have also made some significant moves, including rewarding Cody Freeman with a call-up and sending a message to Josh Jung. Freeman, 24, will make his major league debut, while Jung has been optioned to Round Rock to work on his swing and approach.
Freeman’s Call-Up
Freeman, the club’s fourth-round selection in the 2019 draft, was hitting .315 with an .861 OPS at Triple-A Round Rock this season. He is a right-handed hitter, which will allow the Rangers to either platoon him with Evan Carter in left field or to use Ezequiel Duran in left against lefties. Freeman’s first major league start could come against the 2024 AL Young Award winner, lefty Tarik Skubal of Detroit.
Freeman is an excellent defender and was named the club’s Minor League Defender of the Year in 2025. However, if he does play left field, it will be his professional debut in the outfield. Manager Bruce Bochy said Freeman is capable in the outfield, stating, “Cody’s just a ball player. He grinds out the at-bats. He knows how to play the game. I enjoyed watching him this spring. He’s got a lot of energy. He’s got a lot of confidence, too, and he gives you some versatility.”
Jung’s Option
In overlooking Jung, who was optioned to Round Rock on July 2 after struggling through an awful June, the Rangers made it clear he’s not made satisfactory progress in eliminating the high, inside fastball that has become so problematic for him. Bochy said, “He’s not quite there yet. He’s trying to find his game down there. That’s all he needs to do. Josh just needs to be himself. He’s down there for a reason and that’s to work on his swing and his approach and that’s what he’s doing.”
Bochy acknowledged that Jung is “expanding” the strike zone, without describing precisely where. Jung had swung at 53 of the 87 pitches he’d seen since being demoted, an astonishingly high rate of 60.9%. Of those 53 swings, the majority were on pitches deemed out of the strike zone by MLB’s Statcast. He had swung at 14 pitches deemed inside and off the plate, with only one hit among those swings.
Rangers’ Roster Moves
The Rangers added Freeman and Rowdy Tellez officially on Friday for Sam Haggerty, who is dealing with left ankle inflammation, and Jake Burger, who is dealing with a quadriceps strain. In addition, the Rangers recalled Justin Foscue for utility infielder Michael Helman on Wednesday.
It appears the Rangers will use platoons at both first base and left field. Tellez, who started on Friday, is a left-handed hitter and will face all right-handers. It’s possible he could face some lefties, too, but the Rangers have both right-handed Duran and just-recalled Foscue there. If they choose to sit left-handed Josh Smith against some lefties, Duran could play third and Foscue first.
“Divorce Lawyers, HR directors and CEOs are welcome to enjoy the game,” the organization said on social media.
Recent Games
Since returning from the minors, Rocker is 3-0 with a 3.34 ERA and has held teams to a .207 batting average.
Manager Bruce Bochy made the announcement shortly after Texas’ 4-1 win over the Tigers on Saturday night.
“I didn’t really even have time to think once I got here,” Freeman said. “And then all of sudden I’m on second base. There were just no words.”
Conclusion
The Texas Rangers have made some significant moves, including rewarding Cody Freeman with a call-up and sending a message to Josh Jung. With the addition of Freeman and Rowdy Tellez, the Rangers will use platoons at both first base and left field. The team is looking to make a push for the playoffs in the second half of the season, and these moves could be crucial in their success.
FAQs
Q: Who is Cody Freeman?
