What Happened to Texas Rangers Infielder Josh Smith, and Where Is He Now?

Texas Rangers fans have noticed that infielder Josh Smith has been missing from games. As concerns grew and rumors swirled, it became clear that the public required an explanation.

Thankfully, that long-awaited update has arrived. The Texas Rangers have officially shared what happened to Josh, as fans eagerly await his return to the game.

Poor Josh seems to have hit a stroke of bad luck, or someone's got a voodoo doll of him somewhere, because the athlete just keeps getting sidelined due to health issues.

Earlier this month, the baseball player suffered a right glute strain, which made him unable to play for 10 days. Then, the rehab process caused inflammation in his left wrist, adding to his time away from the game. Now, Josh has been diagnosed with viral meningitis.

Previously, Josh was in the hospital for monitoring, but the athlete is doing better and will continue recovering at home. He is expected to return to Texas Rangers games as soon as he's medically cleared to do so, which is estimated to be as early as next month.

As the Texas Rangers' official Instagram page posted, "Josh Smith, who was hospitalized with viral meningitis, is back home and seems to be in good health via his wife’s IG story."

Naturally, the news was met with a flood of support from fans. The post's comments included, "Get better soon, Josh! We are rooting for you!" Another person wrote, "So glad he’s home and doing better! I miss him!" A third person shared, "We miss you and continue praying for a speedy and complete recovery."

One thing fans don't need to worry about is whether or not Josh has someone to care for him at home, as the athlete has a loving family by his side. He married his high school sweetheart, Claire Smith, in 2022. The pair recently had a baby girl named Charlotte Eloise Smith, back in September of 2025. They also have a dog, aptly named Sport, who is undoubtedly seeing to it that Josh gets excellent care.

Given the unfortunate train of health difficulties Josh has dealt with, he's been away from the game for longer than expected. As fans point out, Josh's absence has created an opportunity for those who haven't gotten much playtime before to step in for him. Specifically, Ezequiel Duran and Justin Foscue have been standing in for Josh, with Ezequiel gaining a lot of attention.

As one person took to Reddit to express, "I’ve been a big Josh Smith fan for his whole time here. Really admire the guy. His head’s not right right now. Hopefully, a break does him some good." Someone else echoed, "Probably for the best. He's looked off all season, and really since the second half of last season." However, a loyal Josh supporter argued, "Josh has also had some bad luck that nobody can control. The talent is there; he will figure it out."