Rangers 10, Tigers 3
Rangers 10, Tigers 3
- That was a lot of runs for the Texas Rangers.
- A lot of home runs, too.
- A leadoff homer by Josh Smith to start the game, with Corey Seager hitting one later in the first to give the Rangers a 2-0 lead. Evan Carter hit a rocket in the second for his first homer in the year, and Joc Pederson followed up with a two run shot in the third for his first homer of the year. Seager finished off the homer parade with his second of the day in the seventh.
- You may recall that the plan for the 2025 season was intended to incorporate more power into the Rangers lineup, and that’s something that has not really panned out, for the most part. This was more of the “If You Hear Some Noise, Its Just Me And The Boys Boppin” energy Texas was hoping for though.
- And unlike the last couple of big offensive explosions, the Rangers bats did this against a legitimate major league starter in Jack Flaherty, who they chased after just three innings and 73 pitches. It was the type of performance against a starter that has been lacking this year, with the Rangers working deep into counts, making Flaherty labor, and ultimately doing damage.
- Joc Pederson and Evan Carter each getting their first homers of the year feels narratively appropriate as well. Both are guys who were hoped to be major parts of the offense this year, neither did anything the first month-plus of the season (Carter because he was in the minor, Pederson because he was being terrible), and if the two of them can be just close to what was expected of them going forward, the offense will be a lot better.
- Pederson, I will note, appears to already be tracking that way — since snapping his 0 for 41 streak, he’s slashing .263/.391/.500 in 46 plate appearances.
- Jacob deGrom continues to be pretty damn remarkable. The giving up homers against lefties things continues to be a bit of an issue, but he struck out half the batters he faced — 10 of 20 — while generating 21 swings and misses on 45 swings. There was a walk issued, to the last batter he faced, leading off the sixth, but it was a bullshit walk where home plate umpire Andy Fletcher called pitches that should have been strikes, balls, and deGrom jawed at him about it.
- Fletcher had a terrible game overall, it seemed to me.
- The Rangers, though, had a good game overall, and the bats came a-banging, and it once again will give me some hope that we’ll see some more of this in the coming days.
- Jacob deGrom’s fastball topped out at 99.3 mph, averaging 97.5 mph. Hoby Milner reached 87.7 mph with his sinker. Shawn Armstrong’s sinker touched 94.5 mph. Luke Jackson’s fastball hit 95.0 mph.
- Evan Carter’s home run was 111.1 mph off the bat, and he had a 103.7 mph ground out. Marcus Semien had a 108.6 mph single. Joc Pederson’s homer was 106.6 mph. Corey Seager had a 105.9 mph home run, a 104.8 mph home run, and a 101.6 mph double. Josh Smith’s leadoff homer was 105.8 mph. Wyatt Langford had a 104.1 mph line out. Sam Haggerty had a 103.1 mph single.
- Okay, can the Rangers finally win a series for the first time in…well, a long time? That’s the question on everyone’s minds…
