The Texas Rangers are off to a great start through the first 23 games of the year at 12-11. Just a half-game behind the Athletics, the Rangers seemed in a pretty good position to take an early division lead.
Those plans have taken an early hit. According to MLB.com’s Kennedi Landry, outfielder Wyatt Langford has been placed on the 10-day IL with a flexor strain. While it’s a grade 1 strain, it’s a strange injury for the young outfielder.
In a corresponding move, the Rangers have recalled outfielder Alejandro Osuna.
Langford has had a slow start to the season, with a .636 OPS in 20 games.
Why Is This a Peculiar Injury for the Texas Rangers and Langford?
While it is a grade 1 strain and may not require more than the minimum 10-day stint, flexor strains are normal for pitchers, not position players.
These types of injuries can be ominous for pitchers as they can be a precursor to a much more serious period of absence. In some instances, Tommy John surgery happens.
Langford told reporters that rather than injuring it while throwing the ball, he did it on a swing, which is incredibly rare.
In 2026, Langford has a .238/.274/.363 slash line through 84 plate appearances. While his hitting has taken a major downturn this year, his baserunning and fielding are both elite, according to Baseball Savant.
He has +2 Outs Above Average, good for the 89th percentile, as well as three stolen bases early.
The Rangers selected Langford with the fourth overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft out of the University of Florida.
He would make his debut the following season, hitting 16 home runs and stealing 19 bases in his rookie season. Langford would also finish seventh in American League Rookie of the Year voting.
The following season, he would improve with 22 home runs, 22 stolen bases and a .775 OPS.
Who Will Replace Langford in the Outfield?
With Langford being the primary left fielder this season, the Rangers have a hole to fill.
Evan Carter and Brandon Nimmo are the other starting outfielders, leaving four additional names to try to fill Langford’s void in his absence.
Sam Haggerty, Ezequiel Durán, Andrew McCutchen and Osuna are now options to cover left field.
While McCutchen is obviously the most qualified to fill in, he is 39-years-old, and has gotten slower over the course of his career, leading to having more time at designated hitter.
The last time McCutchen played more than eight games in the outfield was in 2022. While he has said that it was the Pittsburgh Pirates‘ preference, it still seems unlikely the Rangers would throw him out there.
This leaves Durán as the most likely to get the bulk of the games at left field.
In 51 plate appearances this season, Durán has hit for a .298/.353/.447 slash line.
Haggerty has struggled this season to the tune of a .154/.214/.154 slash line with seven strikeouts in 14 plate appearances.
As for Osuna, in 68 games during the 2025 season, he hit just .212 with a .591 OPS. He hasn’t done much better in the minors, struggling to a .709 OPS in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League.
The Rangers will hope that Langford’s injury takes the minimum 10 days, or it could leave a major hole in the lineup and outfield.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Rangers Place Wyatt Langford on IL With Strange Injury appeared first on Heavy Sports.