ARLINGTON, Texas — This was not at all how a homecoming was supposed to go for the Texas Rangers. Really, the last two series seemed like they should have gone quite differently.
After being swept by the worst team in the league, the Colorado Rockies in the road series finale last week, the idea was that Texas would come home and enter an “iron sharpens iron” situation, where the first place Cleveland Guardians would bring out the best in the team.
Instead, Texas dropped its second straight series and didn’t look especially competitive in doing so despite a series finale shutout victory that snapped their season-worst five-game losing streak.
- Game 43: Cleveland 7, Texas 0 (W: Gaddis, 2-1, L: Leclerc, 3-3)
- Game 44: Cleveland 7, Texas 4 (W: Lively, 2-2, L: Leiter, 0-1, Sv: Clase, 12)
- Game 45: Cleveland 0, Texas 4 (W: Gray, 2-1, L: Carrasco, 2-4)
Last call for now for Leiter?
The Rangers are really trying to make Jack Leiter a newsworthy topic. Unfortunately, he’s becoming newsworthy in an undesirable fashion. After surrendering six runs in the second inning of his Globe Life Field debut, the Rangers’ former 1st round draft pick now sports a 16.39 ERA in 9 ⅓ Major League innings pitched.
Leiter struggled through a 30+ pitch first inning unscathed, but was unable to put the Cleveland hitters away. While his fastball had life and velocity, Leiter couldn’t get the swings and misses to end at-bats. That led to the fateful second frame. Having walked three hitters and hit two, Ranger-killer Josh Naylor hit the back-breaking three-run home run that ended Leiter’s first home outing.
The Rangers’ may be short on starting pitching right now, but it’s not doing Leiter any good to be shelled in short outings at the big league level. With a couple of close off-days, the Rangers can afford to send Leiter back down to gain some confidence and get some more work in to be Major League ready.
Redemption for (some of) the bullpen
After Leiter pitched just 1 ⅓ innings, it was clear that the Texas bullpen was going to have to eat some innings. Normally, a spot like that might have gone to Jose Urena, but with Urena now in the rotation to cover for the mounting injuries, Jonathan Hernandez and Yerry Rodriguez answered the call.
Both relievers were coming off several rough outings. Hernandez, for example, had walked eight batters in his two previous relief appearances. On Tuesday night, however, absorbing 2 ⅓ innings, Hernandez walked just one and surrendered three hits without giving up a run.
Rodriguez, meanwhile, had given up seven runs in five appearances in April and had given up four runs in 2 ⅓ innings just two outings prior. This time around, Rodriguez was able to give the Rangers four scoreless innings in relief of Leiter and Hernandez to help manage the innings of the bullpen.
In the finale, it was David Robertson, who gave up four runs and couldn’t get an out against Colorado, and Jose Leclerc, who gave up three runs in a third of an inning in the opener, who were able to shut down the Guardians. They combined for 1 ⅓ innings of scoreless ball in between starter Jon Gray and closer Kirby Yates.
Good as Gray
The way Dane Dunning stepped up for Texas last year in Jacob deGrom’s absence is how Jon Gray is showing up for the Rangers this year in, well, everybody’s absence. Gray gave up five runs in his first outing of the season, but hasn’t given up more than two runs in a game since then.
In his last seven appearances, Gray has a 1.36 ERA, which includes one relief outing. But in the finale on Wednesday, with the Rangers riding a five-game losing streak, the veteran righty was great, allowing just four hits without a run crossing the plate.
While he only struck out three, he induced 10 ground ball outs and two fly outs, keeping the ball right where it should be with a great defense behind him. Gray’s pitching gave Texas just enough breathing room to wait for the bats to put up the runs to end the losing skid.
Homers at home
Texas got shut out in the opener, the second time being kept off the board in two weeks and fourth of the season, but the home run ball returned in the last two games against Cleveland.
On Tuesday, three Rangers hit homers in an attempt to make up the deficit that Leiter put the team in. Adolis Garcia, Corey Seager and Nathaniel Lowe all went yard, and even though they were all solo shots, it was a welcome sight for an offense that has struggled to drive in runs via extra bases.
In the finale, Marcus Semien had the game of inches go his way for once, as he sent one just over the fence and just over outfielder Estevan Florial’s glove for a two-run homer that broke a scoreless tie. Garcia, who had only had one extra base hit the entire month before hitting a double and the homer in the middle game, took a ball deep into left field in the finale as well.
There are times when the entire offense will click and runs will cross the plate in bunches, but sometimes, a team like the Rangers just needs to hit a few out of the park to feel right as rain. The big thing to watch for now will be whether the offense can continue the momentum after the off day as they welcome in the Los Angeles Angels to Arlington for the first time this season beginning on Friday night.
Do you think the Rangers are finding their power stroke again? Share your thoughts with Matt on Twitter @FisherWritesMLB.
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