ARLINGTON -- Josh Jung leapt out of the batter’s box and began punching at the air. The ball off his bat flew at a 29 degree launch angle down the right-field line before falling just beyond the wall at a Statcast-projected 348 feet.
As it sailed beyond the wall, Jung jumped with joy before rounding the bases. Down to their very last out, the Rangers -- for the second day in a row -- stole a win from the Oakland A’s.
On Sunday afternoon, Jung launched a walk-off three-run homer off of A’s All-Star closer Mason Miller to secure a 6-4 10th-inning win and a series victory. The Rangers hadn’t won back-to-back series since July 6-14, when they won three straight series against the Rays, Angels and Astros going into the All-Star break.
“I was trying to push it,” Jung said with a laugh. “I don't know what was going on. I just wanted it to leave the yard. It wasn’t a no-doubter if that’s what you’re asking. I was trying to push it.”
It’s also the eighth walk-off of the season for the Rangers and the second for Jung. It’s the first time Texas has won games on back-to-back walk-offs since July 31-Aug. 1, 2021, at home against the Mariners. The Rangers’ eight walk-off wins are the club’s second most in the past eight seasons (9 in 2019) and are more than the total for the past two seasons combined (4 in 2023, 3 in 2022).
“I think we’re getting used to it,” manager Bruce Bochy said following Saturday's walk-off win. “It’s kind of our style now. We changed it from last year, now playing a lot of tight ballgames and having to execute pitches, make plays and do little things to win the ballgame. They are doing a good job of that. We like to put up some big numbers, but that really hasn't happened for the most part this year, so you got to play the game they are playing well and win these tight ballgames.”
It was no doubt an exciting two days for the Rangers, who have now won via walk-off in five of their last six home victories. Jung was even presented with a sports drink bath during his postgame interview on air, courtesy of Marcus Semien.
The sports drink bath was a sort of tradition in 2023, spearheaded by former Ranger Martín Pérez, now a member of the Padres.
“I think winning and having fun are kind of intertwined a little bit,” Jung said. “So yeah, we're having a good time. That was a really fun moment for me today. I was jumping up and down. I think when you start winning more games, fun comes with it.”
The pitch from Miller was clocked at 101.7 mph, marking the fastest pitch off which a Rangers batter has homered in the Statcast era (beginning in 2015), surpassing Rougned Odor’s home run off a 100.1 mph pitch from Angels pitcher Luis Garcia in 2019.
It’s the third fastest pitch for a walk-off homer in the Statcast era.
“It's a positive thing,” Jung said. “It puts things in the right direction for me personally. Especially because the two at-bats before that, I had an opportunity to drive in a run with nobody out, and I didn't. Then I went out there and started over-swinging again. I felt like I just fixed that the other day, so being able to not lunge out on 100 mph and be able to turn it around is big for me.”
Jung missed all but the last three days of Spring Training with a calf strain, and then landed on the injured list with a wrist fracture just four games into the regular season. At the time of the injury, Jung went 7-for-17 with two walks, one double, one triple and two homers.
All that to say, it hasn’t been smooth sailing for Jung this season. Much like the entirety of his big league career thus far, which has been plagued by injuries out of his control. Entering Sunday, Jung had slashed .229/.234/.314 in 27 games since his return from the injured list on July 30.
“I don't know if difficult is the word,” Jung said. “It's just inconsistent in the box. I'll find my swing, and then all of a sudden I lost it, and I don't know how to hit, and I'm chasing stuff on the dirt again. It has nothing to do with the wrist or anything. It's just been inconsistent. It's just baseball. I’m trying to get my feet back underneath me, and it's still a work in progress every single day. That home run definitely helps with the positive trajectory of just getting back. But it's still baseball. I gotta keep working.”