The Rangers had one of those nights that tells the whole story before the game is even halfway done. Jacob deGrom exited after two innings with triceps soreness, and from there everything got uglier in a hurry in a 7-0 loss.
DeGrom said after the game that he couldn’t get his triceps loose while warming up for the second inning. He added that he hadn’t felt anything like it before, and that he hoped it was no big deal and he’d make his next start.
The Rangers are certainly hoping that’s the case. With Nathan Eovaldi already on the injured list, another absence from deGrom would leave the rotation in a bad spot.
Jordan Montgomery worked two innings in relief in this one and gave up four runs. Jack Leiter, meanwhile, threw 2.2 scoreless innings in a rehab start on Thursday.
If deGrom can’t go, Leiter feels like the obvious next call after throwing 48 pitches for Round Rock.
That’s where this thing has landed: not ideal options, just the least-bad one. Cal Quantrill is already in the rotation filling in for Eovaldi, and Montgomery didn’t exactly make a case to be trusted with more.
His sinker averaged 89.8 mph in this game, and his fastball sat at 89.1 mph. In 2023, both pitches were in the low 93s.
That kind of drop makes survival tough.
The pitching picture looked like it might be getting some help when Cody Bradford and Montgomery came back, but Bradford has been the bright spot and Montgomery has not. Bradford has looked pretty good in his two starts. Montgomery, by contrast, has looked cooked.
The offense didn’t do anything to bail anyone out. The Rangers managed just five hits, and the only players with knocks were Jarred Kelenic, pinch hitting for Brandon Nimmo because the game was out of reach, Evan Carter, Nicky Lopez and Austin Wynns. When that’s your hit column, the night is already over.
And still, somehow, the Rangers remain in the middle of the race. They’re just a half-game behind a playoff spot, trailing the Tigers, who have moved into WC3. They’re also only two games back in the American League West.
What a weird year.
There were some notable radar readings sprinkled through the game. deGrom’s fastball hit 99.0 mph and averaged 97.8 mph. Peyton Gray reached 94.2 mph.
Montgomery topped out at 91.1 mph with his sinker. Ben Peoples got to 95.8 mph.
Cole Winn touched 96.4 mph. Tyler Alexander hit 93.0 mph.
There were also a few hard-hit balls worth noting: Wyatt Langford singled at 109.4 mph. Joc Pederson had a 104.9 mph groundout and a 100.5 mph fly out.
Ezequiel Duran posted a 103.8 mph fly out and a 102.1 mph fly out. Justin Foscue had a 103.5 mph fly out.
Austin Wynns reached 101.9 mph on an E6.
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