Rangers' Jake Burger exits with wrist injury after hit-by-pitch in loss to Angels
Texas Rangers first baseman Jake Burger was forced from Saturday night's game against the Los Angeles Angels after being hit by a pitch on his left wrist in the third inning. The 30-year-old slugger, who leads the Rangers with 73 RBIs this season, departed after four innings as the Rangers fell 3-0 at home.
X-rays taken after the incident came back negative, and Burger is listed as day to day with a left wrist contusion, according to the team. Rangers manager Skip Schumaker told reporters after the game that Burger was "pretty swollen, pretty sore" and had difficulty swinging the bat.
The injury occurred when Angels starter Ryan Johnson's pitch struck Burger's wrist area. Burger has hit 21 home runs this season, trailing only teammate Joc Pederson's club-leading 22 homers.
Injury concerns for division leaders
The timing of the injury is particularly concerning for Texas, which sits at 42-42 and atop the AL West standings. Burger's potential absence would create a significant gap in the middle of the Rangers' lineup during a tight division race.
The first baseman joined the Rangers before the 2025 season after being acquired from the Miami Marlins during the 2024 Winter Meetings. He previously spent time with the Chicago White Sox from 2021 to 2023 before a brief stint with the Marlins.
History of resilience
Burger's career has been marked by perseverance through adversity. After being drafted 11th overall by the Chicago White Sox in the first round of the 2017 MLB Draft following an impressive junior season at Missouri State University where he batted .328 with 22 home runs, his professional path was immediately derailed by injury.
The St. Louis native missed nearly four years due to multiple Achilles tendon ruptures suffered early in his professional career. He finally made his MLB debut on July 2, 2021, nearly 1,339 days after his injury ordeal began, showing remarkable determination to reach the major leagues.
The Rangers will monitor Burger's condition closely in the coming days as they assess whether additional time off will be necessary.
