The slow start Wyatt Langford had to get his MLB career underway is no more. Langford has seemingly figured things out, producing an incredible level in the month of June. His latest milestone came on Saturday afternoon, hitting his first career grand slam against the Kansas City Royals.
Langford quickly fell behind in a ninth inning at-bat 0-2 but battled back against Royals reliever Angel Zerpa. Taking a few pitches and fouling a couple off resulted in a 2-2 count before seeing a slider coming across the zone.
Once Langford’s bat hit the ball, there was no doubt about where it would land. Globe Life Field erupted as Texas grew its lead from two to six runs, giving the Rangers some much-needed insurance. Just the latest occurrence of Langford producing when his team needed him the most.
You can check out the full moment from Langford here.
Tuesday was the first time Langford hit a home run over the fence, earning the silent treatment from his teammates in the dugout. There was no such treatment after the grand slam, instantly being surrounded to celebrate the moment. Not just a big hit for Langford but the Rangers were attempting to win their third game in a row.
As mentioned, the month of June has been incredible for Langford. He entered the day with an average over .300, seven extra base hits, and an OPS of .829. An infield single and the grand slam added against Kansas City will only boost the numbers.
Langford has also been driving in runners better than anybody in Texas’ lineup during June, having 17 RBIs in 18 games played.
Texas wound up closing the game in the bottom half of the frame as the defending World Series champions are still attempting to kickstart their season. A record under .500 is not where they wanted to be but injuries and multiple guys starting slow on offense have resulted in frustrating results.
As players come off the Injured List and others like Langford begin to swing a hot bat, the hope has to be to make a run before the All-Star game comes to Arlington in July. If Langford has another 18-game stretch of 17 RBIs, he might represent the Rangers and the American League in his home ballpark during the Mid-Summer Classic.
For now, enjoying the grand slam and a third straight win is where Langford’s attention likely stays.
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