Everything was lined up for Robert Garcia to successfully close out a Texas Rangers win over the Mariners, but a one-run lead vanished in five pitches.
SEATTLE — Before everyone starts screaming about the Texas Rangers needing a real closer, consider the game situation in a vacuum: Left-hander Robert Garcia, up a run, to face three left-handed Mariners batters.
“It was lined up like we would want,” manager Bruce Bochy said.
Garcia was summoned to face Miles Mastrobuoni, J.P. Crawford and Cole Young, though Mitch Garcia was probably going to hit for Young. Mastrobuoni singled, and Crawford homered for a 4-3 walk-off win.
Garcia threw five pitches and didn’t hit his spot once. The player didn’t execute, and now Rangers fans want him executed.
“It sucks,” he said. “It doesn’t feel good, but it’s part of being in this role.”
Garcia is either a nice set-up man or the worst closer in history, judging by the reaction on Twitter, and maybe both things are true. But with a bullpen full of set-up guys, it might be true about all of them.
The trade deadline is gone, and the Rangers didn’t add one of the top available closers who are an absolute sure thing in the ninth. Right, Yankees fans?
So, who you got?
The new guys, Danny Coulombe and Phil Maton, made their Rangers debuts in the seventh and eighth innings, each posting a scoreless frame. Coulombe had a perfect inning that included a strikeout of Cal Raleigh, and Maton labored a bit.
Neither throws hard, but each has more experience in leverage situations than Garcia. However, Coulombe has only five career saves, and Maton has seven.
They’re not closers, but maybe the Rangers need them to become one.
Shawn Armstrong is in the same mold. He seems fairly unflappable but again lacks the top-end velocity or wipeout offspeed that strikes fear in opposing hitters.
Ah ha! Jon Gray, right? No, at least not in his current form. The Rangers are still waiting to see his velocity climb and his slider slide better. His outing Tuesday at Anaheim has them convinced that he’s not there yet.
Here’s one: Kumar Rocker. He was optioned Friday to make room for the new guys. He’s an imposing figure on the mound, throws hard and can throw a wipeout slider. Of course, he’s never been a reliever, is in his first full season after Tommy John surgery and doesn’t seem to have a firm grip on how to consistently retire major-league hitters.
Jack Leiter might be the best option. He started Friday and was OK over 4 1/3 innings. He threw 32 pitches in the second inning and was routinely pumping his fastball at 99 or 100. He struck out seven hitters for the second straight game.
That one might have some legs, though he’s needed in the rotation with Rocker and Jacob Latz at Triple A Round Rock. If the Rangers don’t want to use Gray in relief, they almost certainly don’t want him starting a game.
So, basically, it appears as if Garcia will remain at closer for the time being unless Bochy goes strictly to matchups. The manager was in no mood Saturday morning to entertain closer talk.
The Rangers don’t have many options to discuss.
Jeff Wilson, jwilson@alldlls.com
