​ARLINGTON — It’s become a balance between one player’s readiness and his team’s timetable. Rangers outfielder Wyatt Langford has shown progress in his return from a left hamstring strain, and with four games remaining before the All-Star break, the club faces a decision on whether to activate him from the injured list this weekend or the following one. Langford took part in live batting practice ahead of Wednesday’s game against the Los Angeles Angels at Globe Life Field, logged base running a day earlier, and underwent scans that were described as looking “really good.”
“He was happy with how he felt, and the training staff was pleased with his recovery, so we’ll see,” Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said. “It’s always the next day and how he feels after a heavy workload. The good news is the last three days have involved heavy workloads, and he finally did a live BP today, which is essentially the last thing we wanted to see in terms of live pitching.”
Schumaker also noted that a firm return date hasn’t been set yet, but he stressed that if any hitch arises in Langford’s recovery, activation won’t be rushed. “If he is healthy and ready to go, and there is nothing holding him back, then he will be activated before the break,” Schumaker said. “We’re not going to push this if there’s anything lingering or if we’re concerned it could take a wrong turn. If he is ready and clears everything medically, the decision becomes easier.”
Langford, 24, had posted a .317/.371/.634 line with seven home runs during the stretch between his previous injured list stint and this one. He was initially expected to be out beyond the All-Star break after the hamstring strain was first diagnosed.
“I’m pretty hopeful I’ll return before the break at some point,” Langford said after his live batting practice. “If not, it’s fine. We’ve just got to be smart about it and decide whether it’s worth it to play two games and then four more days off. We’ve just got to see what happens, but I feel good.”