DALLAS — Losing streaks are inevitable. Some are short lived and some are unprecedented. For Texas, the seven-game losing streak that bled into this five-game, two-series stretch was neither short-lived nor unprecedented. At least they’re not the Baltimore Orioles, who began a nine-game losing streak, right alongside the Rangers (because of course), but who didn’t really have any sort of light at the end of the tunnel.
Texas made some changes – whether by their own volition or by necessity due to injury, but the depth that Jon Daniels acquired is apparently going to be tested heavily this summer.
June 12-17
- Opponents: @Los Angeles Dodgers, Colorado Rockies
- 5-game Record: 2-3
- Overall Record: 29-44, 19.0 Games Back of Houston
- Injury Report: Elvis Andrus (10, Fractured Elbow), Doug Fister (60, strained knee), Matt Bush (10, elbow strain), Chris Martin (10, strained calf), Martin Perez (60, right elbow discomfort), Carlos Perez (10, ankle sprain)
- Notable Stats: Strikeouts by Joey Gallo (104), Rougned Odor in the last week (.250/.406/.375), Average with Runners in Scoring Position during Stretch (.304), Jose Trevino slash line…in Frisco (.233/.284/.333)
On the Mound
Over the course of a seven-game losing streak, and any five-game stretch through the rotation where you only win one game, the finger usually gets pointed at the pitching. During the two games in LA, there was only one game that we can say was well pitched, and that was the second game of the series.
Cole Hamels gave up just two runs over six innings. If the series hadn't have been played in the National League, you’d probably would have seen him he go a little further, at least into the seventh on his 96 pitches. As for the remainder of the rotation, only Mike Minor had a decent showing, going seven innings and giving up two.
Bartolo Colon, in his bid to become the winningest Dominican-born pitcher, got positively shellacked against Los Angeles. Then there was Yohander Mendez, whom Jeff Banister said would get an extended look in the rotation. With Doug Fister injured and moved to the 60-day disabled list, Matt Moore in the bullpen, and now Martin Perez assigned to the 60-day DL, “extended” is probably a conservative term.
Mendez didn’t do much to instill confidence in the Rangers’ fanbase, as he coughed up a five-run, first inning lead in the second inning as a big league starter. He only pitched three innings total and gave way to Moore; incidentally, Moore didn’t do too terribly bad.
Because of the aforementioned moves in the rotation, the Rangers brought back Yovani Gallardo, who had been signed to a minor league contract after being released from the Reds. Making his season debut on Father’s Day, Gallardo didn’t exactly blow anyone away, giving up five runs in five innings, but he it was a moral victory that was able to go five and give the bullpen a little respite.
As far as the bullpen goes, with Matt Bush now back on the disabled list with a strained right elbow, and Chris Martin suffering a calf strain from running in from the bullpen during the Matt Kemp/Robinson Chirinos dust up, it is now Alex Claudio and Jose LeClerc who suddenly look a little worn down after a few incredibly ordinary efforts.
Coming in to relieve Colon in Los Angeles, Claudio gave up four runs in just an inning and two-thirds. In Sunday’s finale against Colorado, Claudio was able to bail Gallardo out of trouble, but then immediately gave back a lead built on a six-run uprising. LeClerc followed and though he has been incredibly effective this season, he uncharacteristically allowed both of Claudio’s inherited runners to score and worked himself into a bases-loaded, no-out situation before allowing everyone to score.
In short, the pitching game isn’t going nearly as well for Texas as they’d like it to, more and more arms are falling to injury, and now the Rangers are being forced to make moves to replenish an already shaky staff.
At the Plate
By now, you’ve all heard the tale of Jose Trevino. Trevino, the Rangers’ top catching prospect, who has been in Double-A Frisco all year, had his first child enter the world on Sunday. After the Robinson Chirinos-Matt Kemp shoving match, Chirinos was suspended for one game, and Trevino was called up to spend an evening on the bench in Arlington. Before his night was over, he was making his Major League debut against Colorado.
In that game, Carlos Perez, the backup catcher, sprained his ankle on a play at the plate. In stepped Trevino, and then he got his first Major League start the next day, picking up his first Major League hit and first Major League RBI – which just so happened to tie the game. The next day – on Father's Day, no less – Trevino entered the game as a late-inning replacement…and picked up his first game-winning hit with the walk-off bloop single. The 25-year old rookie is known more for his skills as a receiver than as an offensive producer, but you wouldn’t know it from his first three Major League games.
Let’s talk about Shin-Soo Choo, shall we? Owner of an ongoing 32-game on-base streak, Choo is enjoying the best cumulative year of his Rangers’ tenure thus far. Choo is slashing .275/.387/.464 in 70 games and is only making $20 million this season. Ever since making an adjustment back in April, reducing his leg kick to get a shorter path to contact, Choo has been on fire. He has contributed with walks, home runs, clutch base hits – in every way imaginable at the plate, Choo has been a key in the Rangers’ offense.
Over the course of his 32-game streak, currently the longest in the majors, the 35-year old has been slashing .327/.475/.564 with 36 hits, 7 homers, 15 RBI, 31 walks and 18 runs scored. Choo has never made an All-Star team in his long career, but that could change with the Rangers still looking for candidates to emerge.
Also a huge contributor is a man who is going to make some roster decisions very difficult. Jurickson Profar, in what was perhaps his finest game as the regular starting shortstop for the Rangers since Elvis Andrus went on the disabled list, had a massive day at the plate – 2-for-5 with four RBI, one run scored, and a massive, game-switching three-run home run.
During this stretch, Profar has been slashing .276/.364/.517. He’s been outstanding, and when Andrus has to come back off of the disabled list on Monday in Kansas City, one has to wonder where that leaves Profar, Rougned Odor, and Isiah Kiner-Falefa.
Kiner-Falefa, who had an astoundingly perfect read to score the winning run from second base on Trevino's game-winning bloop single on Sunday, has also been a versatile asset. In 56 games, he’s scored 29 runs with an average slash line. Kiner-Falefa may not be a powerhouse, speedster or perfect defender, but he has shown that he can play the game and contribute. This season, that’s what’s been needed for a guy who was brought up almost as an emergency.
Over this five game, two series stretch, the offense wasn't stifled. With runners in scoring position, Texas went 14-for-46, good for a .304 average. That is certainly an improvement, as before this stretch, the Rangers were worst in baseball when they had runners on the bags, and while you might be rooting for Texas to start tanking for next year’s draft, this team still believes they have something to fight for and hasn’t quit trying in their approach.
Sunday’s game, in particular, was encouraging, as the Rangers came back from five runs down and then came back from giving up the newfound lead they had, before finally coming back again from three runs down to pick up an improbable, hard fought win.
In the Field
Profar, for all of his re-discovered offensive consistency, is still having some issues in the field. Profar has made 13 errors this season, including two in these most recent five games. I think it’s safe to say that the shoulder that he had repaired twice earlier in this decade isn’t necessarily bothering him, but it certainly isn’t helping him. The range is still there for Profar, but Rangers Radio Network announcer Matt Hicks pointed it out a week ago – when Profar has to make the rushed throw, he’s accurate; it’s when Profar has time to set his feet and make a throw that he has issues.
Even with those problems lingering, the biggest error of the stretch came in the crazy game that concluded the Los Angeles Dodgers series, when Matt Bush, a converted shortstop mind you, who has since gone on the disabled list, came off of the mound to field a bouncer back to the mound, spun and threw home, but threw wildly. That allowed Kike Hernandez to score the winning run.
Aside from that, the Rangers are playing some good defense and Elvis Andrus is coming back from his broken elbow on Monday. While he’s been making the routine plays in his rehab assignments, whether the elbow he broke in April plays a factor in the field will be determined in Kansas City.
This two series stretch started off with some debilitating losses to continue a long losing streak, but finished with a couple of really good team wins and some impressive showings by rookies and veterans alike. We’ve seen the roster shift, some pitchers go down on the DL, perhaps for the better, but it’s all in search of consistency.
Up Next:
- June 18-20: @Kansas City Royals
- June 22-24: @Minnesota Twins
With Elvis Andrus due to return this week, do you think the Rangers should keep Jurickson Profar in the lineup or stick with Rougned Odor at second base? Share your thoughts with Matt on Twitter @FisherWritesMLB.
