Texas Rangers Call Up Young Infielder to Replace Injured Josh Smith

Texas Rangers shortstop Josh Smith (8) tosses to first base for an out. Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Texas Rangers Call Up Young Infielder to Replace Injured Josh Smith

Originally posted on Texas Rangers on SI
By Dominic Minchella | Last updated May 5, 2026 5:15 PM ET

The Texas Rangers have gotten some pretty unfortunate news as of late, surrounding keeping their players healthy. With Wyatt Langford hitting the injured list due to a Grade 1 right flexor strain, the Rangers add another Major League name to the list on Tuesday.

Infielder Josh Smith was recently announced as landing on the injured list due to a right glute strain. He will be placed on the 10-day IL with the hope that he can work through the injury and get back to the majors before May is over.

In a corresponding move, Texas announced that they're giving a young infielder another chance to succeed in Major League Baseball while Smith is out.

Rangers Recall Justin Foscue

Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

As announced as part of the same tweet via Texas Rangers PR on X (formerly Twitter), the front office is giving infielder Justin Foscue a chance in early 2026. Losing Smith hurts, given his versatility in the field, but adding Foscue semi allows manager Skip Schumaker to rotate his infielders.

This will be the third season that Foscue reached the MLB, having made his debut in April of 2024. In his career with the Rangers, Foscue hasn't lived up to his first-round status, holding a .059 AVG in 19 games in the big leagues.

Sure, the sample size is small, but Foscue hasn't done enough yet to turn the heads of the front office in the show. Losing Smith hurts the Rangers, but it could fuel Foscue to step into his own and bring out the side of him that made him a first-round draft pick in 2020.

Luckily for Foscue, he's been tearing the ball in Triple-A so far with the Round Rock Express. Hitting .287 at the plate with two home runs and 14 RBIs, while obtaining a .833 OPS, Foscue isn't coming to the majors on a cold streak.

Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images

It's likely that he will be a bench bat and fill in for players when needed, but Foscue could see a start here and there. This is also likely a move that isn't temporary, unless Foscue forces the Astros' hand to keep him on the Major League roster.

Before Smith hit the injured list, he was hitting .217 at the plate with zero home runs and six RBIs, so it's not like the former Silver Slugger had been elite at the plate in the early stages of the season. Getting similar or better production out of Foscue shouldn't be an issue if he gets enough at-bats.

This article first appeared on Texas Rangers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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