Texas Rangers Morning Rundown: Jack Leiter better, Kumar Rocker spectacular

The Texas Rangers should be encouraged by one former first-round pick from Vanderbilt and thrilled by how the other pitched.

The first inning Monday night from Jack Leiter looked like many of the other frames he has worked in his big-league career.

Too many pitches. Too many balls. Too many runs.

Leiter walked the leadoff man, was down 2-0 after three batters and needed 27 pitches to get out of the innings.

The rest, though, wasn’t bad. At times, it was really good. He pitched into the fifth inning, exiting after the first two reached, and ended up allowing three runs (two earned). He walked two, struck out four, threw 83 pitches and touched 99.6 mph early on.

“Every game is its own experience, and that first inning was pretty high-stress,” Leiter told reporters in Chicago. “I felt like the execution got better as I went. It’s really controlling my thoughts and slowing myself down and trust.”

The Rangers swept the doubleheader, barely, as it took a spectacular walk-off homer-robbing catch by left fielder Travis Jankowski to lock down the second game, 4-3. The won the opener 3-1.

Leiter, the second overall pick in the 2021 draft from Vanderbilt, is going to stay in the majors and make another start/appearance next week rather than go directly back to Triple A Round Rock.

As the 27th man for the doubleheader, the Rangers have some roster maneuvering to do. A promotion as the 27th man doesn’t count as an option, so the Rangers will need to officially recall him to the roster at some point.

He is in line to start Monday against the Yankees or pitch behind Jose Urena, who pitched behind Leiter on Wednesday and was really good over four innings. He might handle Aaron Judge and Juan Soto a little bit better than Leiter.

Leiter, though, was better in his fourth MLB start.

“Thinking back on it, there’s a lot of positives and a step in the right direction,” he said. “Everything’s a learning experience, the good and the bad, especially the bad. There’s been a lot to learn from.”

Rocker rocks

While Leiter was good, Kumar Rocker was fantastic Wednesday in his Triple A debut with Round Rock.

His pitching line: five innings, one hit, no runs, no walks, 10 strikeouts.

Sheesh.

The right-hander, the third overall pick in 2022 and Leiter’s former Vanderbilt teammate, wiped out Oklahoma City with top-end velocity and four pitches (four-seamers, two-seamer, slider and changeup). He threw only 67 pitches.

The lone hit was a comebacker that deflected off of him. Trainers visited the mound, but Rocker stayed in the game. Oklahoma City hitters must have been devastated.

Rocker’s performance will likely boost some fans’ desire for him to pitch in the majors this season, but, despite the easy time he appears to be having, caution might prevail.

He is coming off Tommy John surgery, so the Rangers are monitoring his workload. He hasn’t gone beyond five innings yet this season. He can continue to get work at Round Rock through late September.

Rocker also doesn’t need to go on the 40-man roster, as he is not eligible for the Rule 5 draft, while others (Emiliano Teodo, for instance) are eligible. The Rangers’ 40-man is already a mess.

If Rocker continues to dominate, he’ll be in the majors on Opening Day.

What Jankowski’s catch showed

The hero Wednesday night in Chicago was Jankowski, whose jaw-dropping catch in the ninth inning preserved the Rangers’ victory over the White Sox. He robbed Andrew Vaughn of a three-run walk-off homer and saved the Rangers from a loss to one of the worst teams in MLB history.

The catch was made possible, though, because the Rangers are still trying to win amid all of their losses.

Jankowski was in the game as a defensive replacement for Wyatt Langford, who hit a three-run homer in the fourth inning. Langford is still developing as an outfielder and could have used the reps. Bochy, though, put the better defensive player in the game.

The effort by Jankowski, not giving up on the ball and then giving the catch all he had, indicates that the Rangers aren’t quitting. I read my Twitter notifications and have seen some of you throwing around the Q word, but consider that the roster is filled with veterans like Jankowski who prepare to win every game.

It hasn’t shown up on the field, but the goal still is to win ballgames.

Carter turns 22

Happy birthday to outfielder Evan Carter, who, unfortunately, will spend his 22nd birthday watching baseball instead of playing it.

He continues to rest his lower back, which started to bother him in May and never got over the hump. The expectation is that Carter will be a full go for spring training.

But what are realistic expectations for him? Bochy lamented the lost year of development when Carter was lost for the year, and Carter still has some deficiencies to overcome. Anyone penciling him as an everyday player might want to tap the brakes a bit.

The Rangers still believe he is going to be a quality big-league player, but they know he’s still a developing player. Missing most of this season, and playing hurt for some of the time he did play, didn’t help his development.

Doggy video!

The all-time No. 1 right here. Sound on. Enjoy.

Jeff Wilson, jwilson@alldlls.com