Texas Rangers Lose Key Outfielder to Injury Amid Strong Start

ARLINGTON, Texas — The Texas Rangers will be without their leading slugger, Wyatt Langford, for an extended period after placing the outfielder on the 10-day injured list Wednesday due to a right oblique strain. Langford sustained the injury during Tuesday’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays, where he finished with two hits, including a double and a homer.

The 23-year-old leads the team with four home runs and shares the top spot with six RBIs. He has also displayed a solid batting line of .244/.333/.561, starting in all 12 games this season. Manager Bruce Bochy expressed disappointment over the loss, stating, “Losing Wyatt is a tough blow for us. He’s been a key player so far this season.”

In a swift response to Langford’s injury, Texas recalled outfielder Josh Smith from Triple-A Round Rock. Smith has struggled at the plate, batting just .184 with four stolen bases in nine games for Round Rock. He previously played two games for the Rangers in September, hitting .333 (2-for-6) with a home run.

The Rangers also activated infielder Ezequiel Duran, who had been sent down just a day earlier. Duran is still looking for his first hit of the season, having gone 0-for-11 in his previous games. Meanwhile, infielder J.P. Martinez, who managed just one hit in four at-bats, has been optioned back to Triple-A.

As the team navigates through this roster shuffle, they remain hopeful for a quick recovery for Langford. Bochy noted, “We’re optimistic he’ll be back sooner rather than later, but we must be cautious with this type of injury.”