ARLINGTON – An MRI on the surgically repaired left shoulder of third baseman Josh Jung showed no damage after he landed awkwardly on it diving for a ball on Saturday.
Jung did sit out for the second straight game, however, with some residual soreness in the shoulder but said he felt significantly better than he did Sunday.
“I think I just banged it pretty hard,” Jung said. “When I landed, I don’t know if it just jiggled a little bit or what, but I felt something. And that was the first time I’ve felt anything since I tore my labrum in 2022. I was just a little scared.
“When I tore my labrum, I couldn’t lift my arm above my shoulder. I had full range of motion and pretty much full strength this time. It was just sore.”
The Rangers managed just one run and three hits Sunday in the first game Jung missed and were even more challenged to field a competitive lineup Monday. Manager Skip Schumaker said he’d previously scheduled a day off for Jake Burger so that Brandon Nimmo could DH as a way to take some stress off the hamstring issue that has bothered Nimmo for much of the month. For Nimmo to DH, though, Joc Pederson had to move to first base, giving Burger the day off.
It left the Rangers with an infield on Monday of Pederson at first, Justin Foscue at second, Michael Helman at short and Ezequiel Duran at third.