712.277.WINS (9467)

X’s Swing Trade To Bring Back Longtime Favorite

Sioux City, IA — The Sioux City Explorers have announced a trade agreement with the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks. The Explorers agreed to send RHP Ryan Flores to the RedHawks in exchange for OF Michael Lang. 

It has been 578 days since Michael Lang was a Sioux City Explorer. Today he finally comes home. 

Lang spent seven seasons with the Explorers. In that time he has put on an X’s uniform more times than anyone else in franchise history as he has played in 538 games. And now once again counting. He also leads the franchise in hits with 642. 

He is one of only thirteen players in American Association history to accumulate over 600 hits. He is currently seventh all time in league history with 682 career hits. 

At the top of many offensive records for the X’s you will find Michael Lang’s name. He leads the franchise in runs (432), doubles (106), triples (32), total bases (912), at bats (2,135), plate appearances (2,421), hit by pitch (52) and strikeouts (473). 

He also holds the second most stolen bases in franchise history with 143, which is 25 short of Nolan Lane’s 168. He also holds the single season records for triples (’15 - 10) and stolen bases (’15 - 45). 

Much of the Explorers recent success is credited to Lang being an annual fixture on the roster as he was a part of both 70 win teams for the Explorers in 2015 and 2018. During his seven seasons in Siouxland he slashed 301/.370/.428, hit 34 home runs and collected 172 extra base hits.

The thirty-two year old outfielder went undrafted out of Rutgers before joining the Explorers for the 2012 season. After hitting .405 in 34 games with the X’s in 2012 Lang had his contract purchased by the Arizona Diamondbacks. 

He spent two seasons in two different levels of A-Ball for the D-Backs organization before being released and finding his way back to Sioux City for the start of the 2014 season, the first year for Explorers manager Steve Montgomery. 

The last time X’s fans saw Lang in an Explorers uniform in 2019 he had played in 65 games and hit for a .279 batting average with five home runs, 18 RBI, 17 doubles and 13 stolen bases. 

After being traded by Sioux City in 2019 Lang played in 35 games for the St. Paul Saints. He hit for a .272 clip  hitting six home runs, four triples, seven doubles, scoring 26 runs and driving in 18 RBI while collecting eight stolen bases. 

Since the 2014 season with Sioux City, Lang has seen the amount of games played rise consistently enough to where in consecutive seasons, 2018 and 2019, he played in all 100 games. 

Lang did not play during the 2020 season. 

In exchange the Explorers will be sending RHP Ryan Flores who was signed just last week. Flores will be returning to the RedHawks who he pitched for last season in 16 games posting a 4.50 ERA. 

The Sioux City Explorers 29th year in Siouxland will begin at MercyOne Field at Lewis and Clark Park on May 18th versus the Houston Apollos.