Rangers 5, Mariners 1
Rangers 5, M’s 1
- Finally. Runs at home!
- Perhaps the most fulfilling part of the “runs at home” experience from Wednesday is a couple of the struggling young ‘uns having big games. Wyatt Langford had his first three hit game in the majors, and would have had his second major league triple had he not stumbled rounding second on his one out ball to the wall in the second inning, a stumble that resulted him eating it on the basepaths and getting tagged out trying to return to second. Langford saw his OPS jump from 595 to 658 in one day, and while 658 is still too low, its much better that an OPS starting with a 5, and heading more in the right direction.
- Meanwhile, Evan Carter, who had been mired in a 1 for 18 stretch last week, and who, as we all recall, started the season 0 for 22, had a two hit day that featured a triple and a home run. He saw his OPS shoot up from 693 to 771 in one day. That’s joy of early season numbers.
- EC’s home run came in the fourth immediately after Adolis Garcia had homered, and gave the Rangers a 2-1 lead. That is, if I recall correctly from the broadcast, the first time this season the Rangers have gone back-to-back in homers this year.
- The other Ranger young ‘un who hasn’t been hitting, Leody Taveras, took a collar, but on the broadcast, they mentioned Bruce Bochy saying that Taveras had been swinging the bat well, and had had some bad luck on balls in play. Leody has a .248 wOBA on the year, compared to a .295 xwOBA — a .295 xwOBA isn’t great, but it will play, given his center field defense.
- Corey Seager, who came into the game on a 1 for 17 streak, was 0 for 2 despite both outs being crushed, and one of them being a barrel with a .900 xBA. He also drew a walk and, in the one down note from the game, was hit by a pitch on his shin. He stayed in the game initially but was pulled in the top of the following inning for Davis Wendzel. After the game, the report was that he had a big bruise on his leg, and one would expect he will sit in the afternoon series finale.
- Jon Gray had a mixed outing, allowing just one run and striking out seven batters, but making it only 4.2 innings. He also had a lot of loud contact. It was a successful outing, ultimately, given that the Rangers won and Seattle scored only one run, but you’d like to see Gray go deeper, and not give up quite as much loud contact.
- The bullpen did its job, with Jonathan Hernandez making his 2024 debut and retiring four of five batters faced. A good Jonathan Hernandez would be very helpful for the bullpen in 2024.
- David Robertson for two innings got the Rangers to the ninth, and with a four run lead, Bochy went with Grant Anderson, who was just promoted that day to replace the injured Austin Pruitt, for the ninth. That is not the move I would have expected, but it worked, so we are good.
- Jon Gray hit 96.5 mph with his fastball, averaging 94.9 mph. Jonathan Hernandez’s sinker touched 97.6 mph. David Robertson reached 94.4 mph with his cutter. Grant Anderson’s fastball maxed out at 94.1 mph.
- Adolis Garcia had a 106.2 mph home run. Evan Carter had a 105.0 mph triple and a 102.3 mph home run. Corey Seager had a flyout that was 105.0 mph off the bat and a 104.1 mph ground out. Wyatt Langford had a 102.6 mph double. Nathaniel Lowe had a lineout at 101.1 mph. Leody Taveras had a pair of 100.4 mph balls in play that went for outs. Jonah Heim had a 100.4 mph single.
- Texas is back in first place, a half game up on Seattle. The rubber match Thursday afternoon will determine who is in first place at the end of Thursday.