Texas Rangers third baseman Josh Jung suffers broken wrist against Tampa Bay Rays

The Texas Rangers suffered their first major injury of the 2024 season on Monday when all-star third baseman Josh Jung fractured his wrist after being hit by a pitch from Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Phil Maton.

Jung was hit in the ninth inning of the Rangers 9-3 win over the Rays and was replaced in the game by Josh Smith.

Jung was off to a hot start batting .412 with two home runs and six RBIs through the season’s first four games.

No stranger to injury, the Texas Tech product missed much of spring training with a strained left calf. In 2023 Jung broke his thumb in August, returning before the end of the regular season in September.

In 2022 Jung suffered a torn labrum in his non-throwing shoulder in spring, which delayed his MLB debut till September. In 2021 Jung missed half the season with a stress fracture in his left foot.

After the game Rangers manager Bruce Bochy told reporters that Jung had a fractured wrist.

There is no timetable yet for Jung’s return which means the Rangers will lean on Josh Smith and Ezequiel Durán in the all-star’s absence.