Smith went 1-for-2 with a two-run home run in Tuesday's 9-3 loss to the Angels.
Corey Seager (forearm) had to exit the game, so Smith filled in at shortstop and delivered a ninth-inning homer. The long ball was Smith's first since Sept. 4, though he's seen little playing time since Josh Jung returned from the injured list. With the Rangers still in the thick of the playoff race, Seager's potential absence looms large. Smith has hit an ugly .137 (10-for-73) since the start of August, so Ezequiel Duran, who has batted .248 in that same stretch, could be the better option to fill in at shortstop if Seager misses time.
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Rangers' Josh Smith: Heads to bench in Jung's return
Rotowire
Smith is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Red Sox.
Smith had started at third base in each of the Rangers' last four games, but he's likely to handle more of a utility role moving forward after Texas reinstated Josh Jung (thumb) from the 10-day injured list Monday. The 25-year-old is hitting just .116 in September and likely won't be in store for steady at-bats down the stretch while the Rangers look to secure a playoff spot.
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Rangers' Josh Smith: Playing time ticks up
Rotowire
Smith started at third base and went 0-for-4 in Friday's 6-3 loss to the Athletics.
Smith made his fourth start in the last five games, all against right-handers. Unfortunately for Smith, it's been a squandered opportunity, as he's gone 1-for-14 in the four starts. His usage has yo-yoed all season, and with news that Josh Jung (thumb) could return next week, Smith's opportunities should dry up.
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Rangers' Josh Smith: Sitting out Monday
Rotowire
Smith is not in the lineup for Monday's game against the Angels.
Smith started four straight games for the Rangers, but he reached base only four times over that span, so he will work as a reserve Monday and allow J.P. Martinez to make a fourth straight start.
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Rangers' Josh Smith: Starts second straight game
Rotowire
Smith started at third base and went 1-for-4 in Friday's 2-1 win over San Francisco.
Smith made a second straight start at the hot corner, as the Rangers navigate life without rookie third baseman Josh Jung (thumb). He'll be out until some point in September after undergoing thumb surgery this week. Ezequiel Duran and Smith are sharing third base until Jung becomes available. While Duran's season numbers trump Smith's by a wide margin, the former has slumped since the All-Star break with a .162 average and .524 OPS.
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Rangers' Josh Smith: Starts at short
Rotowire
Smith started at shortstop and went 1-for-2 with a walk in Saturday's 4-0 loss to San Diego.
The seldom-used Smith made his third start in the last six games. He replaced Ezequiel Duran, who is the primary fill-in at shortstop for the injured Corey Seager (thumb). With Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reporting that Seager could starting swinging a bat Monday or Tuesday, Smith's path to plate appearances could dry up this week.
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Rangers' Josh Smith: Homers in loss
Rotowire
Smith started in left field and went 1-for-4 with a walk, a home run and an additional run scored in Monday's 10-9 loss to Houston.
Smith's fourth-inning solo shot was his first in 23 games and fourth of the season. The seldom-used utility player made a second consecutive start, as the Rangers deal with injuries to Corey Seager (thumb) and Adolis Garcia (hand).
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Rangers' Josh Smith: Gets rare start
Rotowire
Smith started at third base and went 0-for-2 in Tuesday's 8-3 win over Detroit.
Smith gave Josh Jung a breather at third and was removed for a pinch hitter in the sixth inning after two plate appearances. Wednesday's start was his first in 12 days.
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Rangers' Josh Smith: Opportunities dwindling
Rotowire
Smith, who last started a game June 15, has made nine plate appearances during the month of June.
Smith made 65 plate appearances in April then 47 in May before seeing his opportunities dwindle in June. With shortstop Corey Seager back from injury and Ezequiel Duran taking hold as the primary left fielder, Smith has been limited to an occasional start, a pinch-hit or pinch-run role or an injury fill-in.
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Rangers' Josh Smith: Sits against lefty
Rotowire
Smith is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Tigers.
With southpaw Matthew Boyd on the bump for Detroit, Smith and fellow lefty hitter Travis Jankowski will both head to the bench while the righty-hitting Bubba Thompson picks up a start in left field. While Ezequiel Duran (oblique) is on the shelf, Smith and Jankowski will likely be jockeying for one spot in Texas' everyday lineup versus right-handed pitching.
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Rangers' Josh Smith: Takes seat Sunday
Rotowire
Smith is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Orioles.
Though Smith is on the bench Sunday, he could be an option to claim a near-everyday spot in the lineup against right-handed pitching after Ezequiel Duran (oblique) was moved to the 10-day injured list Saturday. Outfielder Travis Jankowski (hamstring) -- who was activated from the IL in a corresponding move -- will take Duran's spot in the lineup Sunday, but Smith had filled in for Duran in left field in both of the previous two contests.
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Rangers' Josh Smith: Clubs homer
Rotowire
Smith hit a solo home run in his only at-bat in Sunday's 13-3 win over the Rockies.
Smith served as a defensive replacement for Marcus Semien at second base in the blowout win. In his lone at-bat, Smith took Alan Trejo deep in the eighth inning. With the return of Corey Seager, there's no longer a clear path to playing time for Smith, so he's returned to a utility role. The 25-year-old is slashing .222/.385/.389 with three homers, four RBI, 14 runs scored, a stolen base and three doubles through 92 plate appearances.
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Rangers' Josh Smith: Rejoins lineup Monday
Rotowire
Smith (foot) will serve as the Rangers' designated hitter and No. 8 batter in Monday's game against Atlanta.
Smith is back in action after a sore left foot prompted his early exit from Saturday's 5-0 win over the Athletics and then resulted in him sitting out Sunday in the 11-3 victory in the series finale. When healthy, Smith has started in five of the Rangers' last six games, but his run as a regular in the Texas lineup will likely come to an end when shortstop Corey Seager (hamstring) is activated from the injured list at some point later this week.
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Rangers' Josh Smith: X-rays negative
Rotowire
X-rays on Smith's foot have come back negative.
Smith was hit on the left foot Saturday and was removed from the game. Texas manager Bruce Bochy said Smith was "pretty banged up" and held him out of Sunday's series finale against the Athletics. The utility player will continue to undergo evaluation.
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Rangers' Josh Smith: Out Sunday with sore foot
Rotowire
Smith (foot) is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Athletics and isn't expected to be available off the bench, Sonja Chen of MLB.com reports.
After Travis Jankowski (hamstring) hit the injured list Tuesday, Smith resurfaced as a regular in the lineup against right-handed pitching, starting in four of the Rangers' past five games. Though Smith went 5-for-10 with three doubles over that stretch of action to build a strong case for continuing to earn ample playing time, he's now day-to-day with an injury of his own. Even if Smith avoids the IL, he could soon find himself on the outs for a regular lineup spot with Corey Seager (hamstring) likely on track to return from the shelf during the upcoming week.
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Rangers' Josh Smith: Leaves with left foot soreness
Rotowire
Smith left Saturday's game against the Athletics with left foot soreness. X-rays returned negative and he'll continue to be evaluated.
Smith was hit by a pitch in the fifth inning and was unable to continue. The outfielder should be considered day-to-day and likely will get a chance to rest for Sunday's series finale against the Athletics.
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Rangers' Josh Smith: Stays in lineup
Rotowire
Smith started at designated hitter and went 2-for-4 with a double in Wednesday's 4-3 win over Seattle.
Smith made a second consecutive start following a two-hit effort Tuesday, when he started in left field. At-bats had been dwindling for Smith, whose last start came April 27 before getting into lineup on consecutive days this week. With Travis Jankowski (hamstring) on the IL, Smith could become a regular whenever there is righty on the mound. The super-utility fielder has hit in three straight games, going 5-for-10 with two doubles, one home run, two RBI and a stolen base.
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Rangers' Josh Smith: Starts in left field
Rotowire
Smith started in left field and went 2-for-3 with a double in Tuesday's 5-0 loss to Seattle.
The Rangers placed primary left fielder Travis Jankowski (hamstring) on the injured list Tuesday, which opened a lane to at-bats for Smith and Robbie Grossman. Smith had been part of the fill-in solution at shortstop while Corey Seager (hamstring) works his way back, but the suddenly hot Ezequiel Duran has since taken over as the primary substitute there.
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Rangers' Josh Smith: Strong off bench Sunday
Rotowire
Smith went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run, a walk, a stolen base and two total runs scored in Sunday's 16-8 win over the Angels.
Travis Jankowski (hamstring) left the game in the second inning, and Smith filled in admirably. The homer was Smith's second of the season, and it put the Rangers ahead 7-3. This was the utility man's first game action in May after he played semi-regularly in April. He's slashing .154/.353/.269 with three RBI, 11 runs scored and one steal through 69 plate appearances. If Jankowski ends up on the injured list, Smith could be a strong-side platoon option in left field.
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Rangers' Josh Smith: Sitting third straight game
Rotowire
Smith is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Yankees.
It's the third consecutive game on the bench for the 25-year-old, as Ezequiel Duran appears to have taken hold of the starting job at shortstop with Corey Seager (hamstring) on the shelf. Smith saw most of his action in the first couple weeks of the season in left field, but Travis Jankowski and Bubba Thompson have recently been splitting time at that position.
