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Josh Jung has made a terrific comeback in 206. Following a 2025 season where he was so lost at the plate that he was sent down to Triple-A and then benched by then-manager Bruce Bochy, he has turned things around this year and become the Rangers' most consistent hitter through the team's first 100 games.
So, why in the world would you consider trading your lineup anchor who has manned the hot corner since 2023? It is a combination of things that has little to do with his offensive production and more to do with his subpar defensive play at third base.
Rumors are swirling on Twitter and around social media that the Rangers could be considering a drastic deadline move in order to improve defensively and get some other players more playing time.
Rangers fans are having a fervent debate regarding trading Josh Jung, could a deal make sense?
The plan being thrown around on social media platforms is to trade Jung due to his defensive shortcomings and then move Ezequiel Duran over to third every day. That would then open up a platoon situation at second base between Justin Foscue and Nicky Lopez. This is predicated on Corey Seager eventually returning and staying on the field for more than a handful of games.
According to Baseball Savant, Jung ranks in the 19th percentile in fielding run value with a -3 mark. He is also in the 21st percentile in Range (OOA) at -2 and ranks in the 36th percentile in arm strength. Those are not good metrics and are far below what Jung has done in the past.
Jung clearly has a very different approach at the plate this year, and it lends itself to more singles and doubles and fewer home runs. With him usually hitting third in the order, do you want a guy who is going to SLUG at .430-.440 and give you anywhere between 12-15 dingers, or do you value his ability to put the ball in play at a higher rate than someone like Duran?
We think that an offensive and defensive shake-up would be a good thing and would encourage Chris Young to listen to offers on Jung while his value is as high as it's been since his rookie year. Yes, he hits for the highest average, but it's around .290, and the run production isn't where a 3-slot hitter should be, with 9 homers and 35 RBIs. He's on a pace to drive in around 50-55 runs.
Duran moving to third would give you an uptick in run production while immediately providing an upgrade in arm strength and with the glove. If you were to give Duran a shot at third base every day, he could prove to be a Gold Glove-level defender.
And Foscue has proven that he needs more at-bats against lefties. He is absolutely hammering them this year with a .322/.412/.678 slash line against southpaws, including 5 dingers and 14 RBI in limited time. His platoon mate at 2nd base, Nicky Lopez, is hammering righties to the tune of an even .300 batting average.
In essence, as good as Jung has been in resurrecting his career this year, he could be clogging up the pipeline to an even better, more well-balanced infield that plays to each one of his potential replacements' strengths. Swing a deal and see what Jung's market value is before he regresses to his career numbers.
If the Rangers can swap him for a solution to a bigger area of need, like the rotation or the bullpen, it could make the gamble worthwhile. There are a lot of moving pieces, but it's something worth considering.
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This article was originally published on nolanwritin.com as Josh Jung's defensive woes could lead to a drastic Rangers decision.
