What is the story about?
Reds
2, Rangers 1
- Okay, this is getting annoying.
- Not Jack Leiter though. Jack Leiter is not annoying.
- Jack Leiter was tremendous on Sunday. Six pitch mix, better command of his changeup. Five innings, one walk, nine Ks, just one run allowed.
- Leiter got 18 swings and misses on 85 pitches. This is two starts in a row where Leiter is looking like a legitimate top of the rotation type starter.
- Would I have liked to see him need fewer than 85 pitches to go 5 innings? Sure. Was the righty-righty changeup to Eugenio Suarez in the fourth, when Suarez looked incapable of catching up to his fastball, said change being slapped into center for an RBI single, a questionable decision? Yeah, I think so, but also, that may be on the catcher.
- But that’s picking at the tiniest of nits.
- Through two games, Jack Leiter has a 2.45 ERA, 2.58 xERA, 1.83 FIP, and 2.04 xFIP. That’s outstanding.
- Alas, the rest of the team let him down. Robert Garcia had another disappointing outing. Brought in to pitch the eighth after Texas had just tied it, Garcia went walk, stolen base, single, lineout, stolen base, walk before being lifted for Chris Martin.
- That run Garcia gave up was the difference in the game.
- Offensively, the Rangers fell flat once again. I’m willing to cut a certain degree of slack, given that Reds starter Chase Burns was, if anything, even better than Leiter was.
- Joc Pederson’s homer off of Burns tied the game, and there were opportunities in the late innings. Runners on second and third with one out in the seventh, only for Andrew McCutchen and Brandon Nimmo to both fan. Bases loaded with two outs in the eighth, Evan Carter lifting a ball that seemed like it might be gone off the bat, only to die on the warning track in center.
- And to rub salt in the wound, Brock Burke, of all people, strikes out the side swinging in the ninth.
- Hell of a way to kick off the season at home, with a sweep at the hands of Cincinnati.
- Jack Leiter hit 99.3 mph on his fastball, averaging 97.3 mph. Jacob Latz reached 93.4 mph on his fastball. Cole Winn topped out at 95.9 mph with his fastball. Robert Garcia touched 95.3 mph. Chris Martin’s fastball maxed out at 94.8 mph. Jalen Beeks reached 93.0 mph on his fastball.
- Jake Burger had a 105.5 mph double and a 100.2 mph ground out. Evan Carter had a 101.9 mph fly out. Joc Pederson had a 101.6 mph home run. Kyle Higashioka had a 101.3 mph fly out. Ezequiel Duran had a 100.0 mph fly out.
- Now to start a series against Seattle.
