The Texas Rangers lead the American League West by 3 1/2 games and are off to the second-best 69-game start in franchise history, even after suffering their sixth loss in the last eight games with a 2-1 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays in Arlington on Friday night.
Texas is 42-27, and while the offense has earned all the attention this season, an immensely improved pitching staff — which was on display again on Friday — has been one of the most important differences.
Last year, the Rangers finished below the league average in ERA, strikeouts, wins, and several other pitching categories. This year, the numbers are better across the board, and Texas is currently top five in Major League Baseball in wins (tied for fourth), ERA (fifth), and quality starts (fifth).
One significant factor in the improvements could be the return of pitching coach Mike Maddux, who is in his second stint with the club after leading the pitching staff to some of its best seasons from 2009 to 2015.
“Huge,” Rangers Manager Bruce Bochy told Sports Illustrated about adding Maddux to his staff in December. “I mean, he’s got history there. He had success there. He’s had success wherever he’s gone. Mike, he’s just considered one of the best pitching coaches in the game. And with his experience, knowledge, and his success, this is just a great fit.”
Despite Friday’s loss, Rangers’ pitchers more than held their own. Starting pitcher Martin Perez (6-3, 4.54) lasted at least six innings for the sixth time this season, allowing three hits, one of which happened to be a two-run home run and the difference in the game.
“Martin [had] a good bounce back,” Bochy told the media postgame. “He threw the ball very well [and had] good location on his pitches against a tough lineup. He did his job.”
The bullpen has struggled this year but has shown signs of improvement in recent games. Joe Barlow, Grant Anderson, and Jose LeClerc held Toronto scoreless over the final three innings of Friday’s game, the third time it has done so this month.
“It’s much improved,” Bochy said of his bullpen after the game. “We still have a hiccup now and then, but overall I think these guys are building confidence, and that’s all we need from them…It’s good to see, and it’s something for all of us to be encouraged about.”
The bullpen’s improvement comes on the heels of a 10-game stretch in which Texas’ starting pitching has gone 2-4 with a 4.31 ERA.
However, the Rangers’ starters still hold the third-best ERA in the MLB, are the only staff in the league to throw multiple complete games, and have helped steer the team in the right direction. Now that Jacob deGrom (2-0, 2.67 ERA) is out for much of the next two seasons, the performances of the rest of the staff become increasingly important.
Dane Dunning has joined the rotation as deGrom begins his second journey with Tommy John surgery. Dunning was the “odd man out” of a crowded rotation at the end of spring training but has been a bright spot since re-entering, posting a 3-1 record in seven starts but starting to struggle more through two starts this month.
Nathan Eovaldi has become the ace of the staff. The 33-year-old was signed to a two-year deal as a free agent this offseason and is putting up the best numbers of his career with a sub-3.00 ERA for the first time and the second-most wins in the MLB.
Jon Gray leads the team with a 2.32 ERA, by far the best of his nine-year career. In his second year with the team, he is 6-3 and has allowed no more than one run in each of his last six outings, including a complete game against the St. Louis Cardinals on June 7. He missed his last scheduled start with a blister.
Perez’s numbers have inflated this year, but he has put together some quality starts this season. The 2022 All-Star had high hopes of building on his career year and will be a crucial factor for Texas as the season progresses.
Andrew Heaney rounds out the Rangers’ starting rotation. Texas signed the lefty to a two-year deal in December after a career year with the Dodgers. The numbers do not look pretty overall, but he has delivered six quality starts this season, with three in his last six, which is not bad for a fifth starter.
The Rangers return to the field for the second game of a three-game series against the Blue Jays (39-32) at 3:05 p.m. CT on Saturday and finish up at 1:35 p.m. Sunday.
Trackbacks/Pingbacks