Is it a coincidence that once Josh Jung returned to the lineup, the Rangers started hitting? Maybe. But that’s what happened.

Any lineup is better with Jung. And unlike his usual returns to the lineup after an injury, he isn’t trying to fight recovery and ramp back up. This time it was just neck spasms, which don’t sap one’s power like coming back from a broken wrist does.

For the second game in a row, Texas matched its highwater mark in runs with six, and for the second game in a row, they got double-digit hits, yesterday getting eleven. 

That’s their two best days of production on the two days Josh Jung returned. Corey Seager is even starting to heat up, clubbing two home runs. In fact, every Rangers starter but Higoshioka picked up a hit. 

Couple that with Tyler Mahle’s masterful job of pitching and the Rangers avoided being swept by the Cubs with a 6-2 win in Chicago. 

Hopefully, the Jung rebound will rub off on Semien, Burger, and Pederson. It’s doubtful they will be hovering at .100 all season. So, it would be nice for them to start climbing out of their individual holes soon. 

Baseball is more fun with offense. But offense is way down, league-wide. According to MLB Radio, the combined batting average in MLB is down from where it was last year. So far, the bit league batting average is .239, down from .240 last year at this time. Last year, the MLB average was .243, the eighth lowest since MLB started in 1871.

The record low for an entire season was .237, set in 1968, which has been called the Year of the Pitcher. This year’s .239 is only slightly better. Looks like the torpedo bat is saving baseball.

It’s increasingly harder to hit in baseball. So, when you see the run Josh Jung is on since returning to the lineup, that’s even more special. When you see Corey Seager snap out of a slump like he did yesterday, that’s encouraging.

And, it seems, pretty rare these days in baseball.

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