Corey Seager hits a 2-run homer in his Rangers return, snapping an 0-for-29 skid

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Corey Seager's first hit in a month for the Texas Rangers was a big one in his return from the injured list.

Seager belted a two-run homer homer in the sixth inning that put the Rangers ahead in a 3-2 win over the Cleveland Guardians on Friday night. The five-time All-Star shortstop and two-time World Series MVP missed the previous 19 games because of lower back inflammation.

That homer also snapped a career-worst 0-for-29 slump in his 12 big league seasons, since his previous hit May 6.

“It was just nice to get out there with the guys again,” Seager said. “You obviously want to help.”

He went deep off Cleveland rookie Parker Messick right after a double by Wyatt Langford, who was also activated from the IL before the game. Seager’s eighth homer of the season made it 3-2.

“It's definitely good to have them back,” said Rangers manager Skip Schumaker, who saw good signs early in the game. “Their timing looked right the first at-bat, both of them. ... Good news on both ends.”

Langford, the left fielder, had missed 39 games since going on the injured list April 22 because of a right forearm strain. They batted 1-2 in the lineup and their consecutive extra-base hits came in their third at-bats.

Seager, still hitting .181 in his 43 games, went into the series opener in an 0-for-27 slide that included 11 strikeouts. He had been hitless in his previous seven games, also a career worst, since an RBI single on May 6 at Yankee Stadium after he hit a home run earlier in that game.

“I’m excited to see, really for the first time in some time, our group together. Still missing (second baseman) Josh Smith, but beyond that, we have not had our group together in a long time,” Chris Young, the team’s president of baseball operations, said before the game.

“Look at the past week, 10 days, and there have been a lot of positives with the way we’ve played,” Young said. “And now getting Corey and Wyatt back in this lineup, I think will be very big for us. I’m excited to see what that does for everybody.”

The Rangers (31-32) have won six of their last seven games.

“Honestly, in a weird way, it’s an easier way to come back for me and Wyatt when the team’s going (good),” Seager said. “You've just got to hop on the train and keep going. So it’s definitely nice to be playing good and just to be able to be back out there.”

Utility man Cody Freeman and outfielder Alejandro Osuna were optioned to Triple-A Round Rock to make room on the roster. Utility player Sam Haggerty was designated for assignment after he was activated from the bereavement/family medial emergency list.

Langford and Seager played in two rehab games together this week at Double-A Frisco. That was after Langford played two games with Round Rock.

Seager hadn't been in a big league game since May 13. At that point, the 32-year-old shortstop had started 42 of the Rangers' first 43 games. He said then that physically he felt “completely fine” after playing all of their 24 games in a 27-day span.

The Rangers had a day off after that and planned for Seager to get an extra break by sitting out the series opener at Houston. But he didn't play at all in that series after waking up one morning with back spasms.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Texas Rangers' Wyatt Langford hits a double during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians, Friday, June 5, 2026, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Cleveland Guardians outfielder Steven Kwan (38) looks on as fans in the stands reach for Texas Rangers' Corey Seager's home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Friday, June 5, 2026, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Cleveland Guardians' Travis Bazzana, right, steals second base against Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager, second from left, during the third inning of a baseball game, Friday, June 5, 2026, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Texas Rangers' Corey Seager, center, jogs to the dugout after hitting a home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians, Friday, June 5, 2026, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

DENVER (AP) — Milwaukee Brewers left-handed reliever Brian Fitzpatrick was injured on a warmup pitch Friday night after getting called up from the minor leagues earlier in the day.

Fitzpatrick threw a scoreless sixth inning in the Brewers' 9-7, 10-inning victory over the Colorado Rockies. Fitzpatrick came back out for the seventh and was throwing warmup pitches when he reacted in pain and grabbed his left arm.

“We're wishing for the best, but it doesn't look good, the injury,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy told reporters after the game. “He's going to have an MRI tomorrow.”

Fitzpatrick was called up from Triple-A Nashville along with right-hander Craig Yoho earlier in the day as the Brewers placed left-hander DL Hall on the injured list and designated right-hander Jake Woodford for assignment.

Fitzpatrick is 0-0 with a 1.35 ERA in five appearances with Milwaukee this season. He is 3-1 with a 1.13 ERA in 15 games with Nashville.

Hall went on the 15-day injured list with a left pectoral strain. The injury had forced him out of the Brewers’ 12-9 loss to the San Francisco Giants on Thursday.

Woodford allowed four runs over three innings later in that game.

Hall is 0-0 with a 2.03 ERA in 24 games with 32 strikeouts and 24 walks over 31 innings. Woodford is 0-1 with a 6.94 ERA in 16 games.

Yoho pitched two scoreless innings against Colorado on Friday. He was 0-0 with a 1.00 ERA and three saves in 16 relief appearances with Nashville.

Yoho has a 1.14 ERA in 110 career minor league outings, but he had a 7.27 ERA in eight games with Milwaukee last season.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Jake Woodford looks on during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants, Thursday, June 4, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Kayla Wolf)

Milwaukee Brewers pitcher DL Hall throws during the third inning of a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants, Thursday, June 4, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Kayla Wolf)

Milwaukee Brewers pitcher DL Hall (37) walks off the mound with Milwaukee Brewers' Head Athletic Trainer Brad Epstein during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants Thursday, June 4, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Kayla Wolf)