Rangers Rookie Wyatt Langford Expected to Miss 3-4 Weeks With Hamstring Strain
The Texas Rangers’ rookie sensation Wyatt Langford will miss three to four weeks after suffering a Grade 1 right hamstring strain, manager Bruce Bochy announced following Sunday’s 3-2 victory over the Kansas City Royals.
Langford, expected to be placed on the 10-day IL ahead of Monday’s opener versus the Oakland Athletics, pulled up short while running to first base in the fifth inning of Saturday’s contest. He left the game as his team went on to score a season-high 15 runs.
The 22-year-old made the Rangers’ Opening Day roster after hitting .365/.423/.714 with six home runs and 20 RBIs across 21 Cactus League contests this spring.
Texas has primarily utilized Langford as its designated hitter, making 19 of his 31 starts at that position. He started 12 games in left field, logging 98 innings without committing an error.
In Langford’s absence, the Rangers will likely continue to deploy fellow rookie Evan Carter in left field most days, with Leody Taveras in centre and Adolis García in right. Travis Jankowski, who entered Saturday’s game as an injury replacement, is expected to receive a boost in playing time as he can play all three outfield spots.
It had been a slow start at the plate for the organization’s No. 1 prospect, who struggled to a .224/.295/.293 slash line and a 68 wRC+ over his first 116 career at-bats in the majors. But his .246 xAVG and .388 xSLG suggest he’s endured some poor luck early on.
The right-handed-hitting outfielder recorded his first big-league home run – albeit on a fly ball that didn’t leave the yard – as he rounded the bases for an inside-the-parker against the Cincinnati Reds on April 28th.
Langford, a fourth-overall selection by Texas in 2023, dominated the minor leagues during his first professional season last year. He crushed 10 bombs, drove in 30 and slashed .360/.480/.677 while posting a 199 wRC+ in 44 games across four levels (Complex League, High-A, Double-A, Triple-A).
That rapid ascension through the minors paved the way for his big-league debut on Opening Day, becoming the second player from last year’s draft to reach the majors, behind Los Angeles’ Nolan Schanuel.
The Trenton, FL native is the latest Ranger to fall victim to the injury bug, joining third baseman Josh Jung (wrist) and starting pitchers Nathan Eovaldi (groin), Max Scherzer (back), Jacob deGrom (Tommy John), Tyler Mahle (Tommy John) and Cody Bradford (back/ribs).
Those injuries have been magnified by a slow start from shortstop Corey Seager, who enters Monday’s contest with a .228/.303/.291 slash line, two home runs, 10 RBIs and a 69 wRC+ in 32 games – all significantly below his usual offensive standards.
Despite poor offensive showings from Seager and Langford, the Rangers’ offence sits Top 10 in runs per game (4.69), AVG (.252), OBP (.320) and SLG (.398) throughout the majors this season.
At 19-16, they’re just a half-game back of the Seattle Mariners for top spot in the AL West, with three of the five teams in the division currently below .500.
-Thomas Hall
Twitter @Hall_Thomas_
Photo: Michael Barera. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.