SURPRISE, Ariz. (KFDX/KJTL) — We are just 17 days away from Opening Day at Globe Life Park, when the Texas Rangers will look to relive the magical 2023 season that ended with a World Series title.
There is a saying that proclaims that the best ability is availability, and Rangers third baseman Josh Jung is primed for a full summer of baseball.
After joining the Rangers in 2022, Jung has been sidelined with a number of injuries, including a stress fracture in his foot, a torn labrum in his non-throwing shoulder, a calf strain, a broken left thumb and a broken right wrist.
He and Rangers’ manager Bruce Bochy hope 2025 will produce an injury-free season.
“You let him go, you know, and just hope that, you know, the bad luck is behind him,” Bochy said.
“You know, to your point, they’re kind of freakish-type injuries. But, you know, we’re hoping, knock on wood, he stays healthy. He’s a baseball guy, right? He loves to play, and for him to miss all that time last year. I’m sure it was tough on him. And he’s getting to do what he loves.”
As for Jung, he is just excited for a new season.
“I can’t wait. Just try to bring the juice every day. That’s what I say. Bring all the energy. Make everybody laugh. And just develop that team chemistry on another year,” Jung said. “I mean, I feel the vibe with the clubhouse. It feels different.”
He said it feels like 2023, and Rangers fans know how that season turned out.
“Just the vibe around here, the energy you feel…Everyone’s having fun,” Jung said. “I think everybody’s ready to try and go out and to prove that it wasn’t just a fluke, but also for us just to go have fun and win baseball games.”
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And in his fourth season, Jung wants to contribute more than just base hits, homers and runs batted in. He wants to make the entire organization better.
“I think you can always make the culture better … It’s taking the culture we have up here and trying to instill it in these guys and then take it back down and develop an organizational culture, not just a culture in the big leagues,” Jung said.
Bochy agreed.
“I appreciate players who want to step in the breach and be leaders. And yeah, that’s, you know, that’s important, I think, to a clubhouse,” Bochy said.
You could say it is a “healthy” component to a successful team.
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