Jung, Wild & Free
Former Express infielder Josh Jung was a key cog in the Rangers run to the World Series in 2023. Before his time in the big leagues, Jung appeared in 58 games for the Express over parts of two seasons in 2021 and 2022. Unfortunately, he suffered a fractured wrist to
Former Express infielder Josh Jung was a key cog in the Rangers run to the World Series in 2023. Before his time in the big leagues, Jung appeared in 58 games for the Express over parts of two seasons in 2021 and 2022.
Unfortunately, he suffered a fractured wrist to open the 2024 season, though it wasn’t the first time the righty has dealt with a serious injury.
After finishing the 2021 season with Round Rock, Jung looked to be on the fast track to making the 2022 Opening Day roster as Texas’s third baseman.
During Spring Training, he suffered a torn labrum that sidelined him until the end of July 2022. He was back in an Express uniform for 23 games in August before making his big league debut in September of the 2022 season.
What did Jung do to pass the time while he rehabbed his injury back then?
“I took some cooking classes so I can cook pretty decent now,” Jung told reporters at Dell Diamond in August 2022. “I went to this place, Sur La Table, and they had cooking classes. They were basically date night classes, but I was rolling up solo just to learn. It was a lot of fun.”
He learned how to cook a red wine marinara sauce, but his go-to meal was always steak. Jung knew he’d have a critic once the season was over.
“In the offseason my brother will probably be the biggest critic,” Jung said. “We’ll see, I thought I was doing a great job but you never know until someone else is eating it.”
In his first game back in 2022, Jung smashed a home run for the Express and went on to hit five in his first seven games. After only 23 games with Round Rock, he made his Major League debut for Texas at the end of the year.
The Texas Tech product became a force in the Rangers lineup for the 2023 season. He hit 23 home runs in 122 games with 70 RBI and owned a .308 average during the team’s postseason run.
Jung fractured his wrist when he was hit by a pitch in Tampa Bay on April 1, 2024. As he makes his way back from the injury, Jung is looking to pick up right where he left off to open the year. He was 7-for-17 with two home runs before being hit and all are hoping this will be the last time the San Antonio native has to deal with an injury.