Kumar Rocker made the first out of Friday night’s game look like a small thing, but it carried some weight at Globe Life Field. One day after working on pitcher fielding practice with a handful of Texas coaches, the big right-hander broke toward first base on Brett Bateman’s slow roller, took Jake Burger’s feed and beat the runner to the bag.
| Game | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Jays | 1 | — | — |
| Rangers | 7 | — | — |
| Pitcher | IP | R |
|---|---|---|
| Kumar Rocker | 4 1/3 | 1 |
| Trevor Williams | 4 | 0 |
That clean play set the tone for a useful, if not flawless, outing from Rocker in Texas’ 7-1 win over Toronto. Facing Dylan Cease, an American League Cy Young Award contender, Rocker gave the Rangers the kind of start they needed: enough early control to hand a lead to the bullpen and keep the club moving in a tight September race.
Rocker handles the early innings
The 26-year-old right-hander, making his 29th appearance of the season, allowed only two runners across his first four innings. Both reached on singles pushed through the left side of the infield.
Then came a familiar wrinkle. As in his previous outing against Arizona, Rocker opened the fifth by walking the first two hitters he faced. Toronto’s No. 9 batter, Myles Straw, followed with a double that produced the Blue Jays’ only run and sent Rocker to the dugout.
Rocker’s afternoon PFP work had been aimed at a recurring issue: covering first base on ground balls to the right side. At 6-foot-5 and 245 pounds, he brings an imposing presence to the mound, but the second-year big leaguer has not always been consistent handling those plays. His first-inning sprint and catch from Burger offered a tidy answer on this night.
Bullpen finishes the job
Tyler Alexander entered after Rocker’s exit and left both inherited runners aboard, preventing Toronto from turning the fifth inning into a larger problem. Trevor Williams, with the Rangers since Sept. 1, followed with four scoreless innings to close the game.
Williams’ extended relief stint also spared the rest of the Texas bullpen with two games still left in the series.
Division race tightens again
Texas climbed back to .500 at 77-77 with the victory. Atlanta’s win over Houston pulled the Rangers even with the Astros in the American League West, while Texas remained one game behind the final AL Wild Card position.
