Wyatt Langford, Corey Seager take positive steps toward Rangers return
· Yahoo Sports
ANAHEIM, Calif. — The two hitters that were expected to carry the Rangers' offense took steps toward their respective returns before Friday's game against the Los Angeles Angels at Angels Stadium.
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Rangers shortstop Corey Seager (lower back inflammation) and left fielder Wyatt Langford (right forearm strain) both resumed some form of baseball activity before the series opener. Seager, sidelined since May 15 with a back injury, jogged, trained in the weight room and hit for the first time since he was placed on the injured list. Langford, who was placed on the injured list exactly a month ago, both hit and threw.
Seager, who was in a 0-for-27 hitless skid prior to his injury, is eligible to be activated for Monday's series opener vs. the Houston Astros at Globe Life Field. Schumaker acknowledged that Seager will likely avoid a minor league rehab stint, but his exact progress will be determined by how his back responds to the first real day of stress since he was first sidelined.
"It's definitely the goal," Seager said, "but we'll see where we're at."
Langford, who strained his forearm on a swing vs. the Pittsburgh Pirates over a month ago, hadn't swung a bat since an attempted minor league rehab game at the club's Surprise, Ariz., complex earlier this month. He expects to continue his current hitting progression for the next week before he embarks on another rehab assignment.
The 24-year-old acknowledged after the fact that he didn't feel entirely 100% before his first comeback effort was shut down.
"It's much healthier now than it was when I was trying to come back the first time," Langford said. "We're in a really good spot."
Schumaker said left-handed pitcher MacKenzie Gore is "still trending in the right way" to make his scheduled start Sunday against the Angels. The Rangers have not yet named a starter for the series finale, but Schumaker said that Gore "felt good yesterday" after a throwing progression. Gore exited Monday's game against the Colorado Rockies with what he described as "cramps" in his shoulder-to-mid-back area.