Texas Rangers will need four starters for two rotation spots. Here are the candidates
The daily Zoom calls the past few days with Rangers manager Chris Woodward and assorted starting pitchers have been focused on how the Texas Rangers’ rotation is going to be structured to open the season.
Woodward said more than a week ago that the Rangers would use a five-man rotation, though with possibly two of those spots working as a piggyback system. So, it will take seven starters for five spots.
He confirmed that Thursday from Surprise, Arizona.
What’s still to be determined is who will be starting and who will be piggybacking, or, put another way, working in tandem with another pitcher.
The piggybackers’ innings might not be evenly split. They might alternate starts each time through the rotation. Strategy will be involved.
“We just have to keep monitoring,” Woodward said. “There’s going to be a lot of dialogue and a lot of collaboration on so many fronts to make sure these guys are in the best position possible to succeed, while maintaining their health.”
Much is still to be determined. However, the pitchers are starting to shake out as spring training rolls on.
Kyle Gibson hasn’t been named the Opening Day starter, but should be soon. Mike Foltynewicz looks like he will be a capable starter. Kohei Arihara might get knocked around some, but his ability to log innings is too valuable to turn into a part-time starter.
So far, though, Gibson is the only pitcher who absolutely, 100%, no doubt has locked up a spot, Woodward said.
And then there are the rest, the four who will make up the final two spots. Even that group looks to have taken shape.
There appear to be seven bona-fide candidates — a journeyman, four prospects, a darkhorse and a veteran from Korea.
Here’s a look at each one.
Jordan Lyles, RHP
The media met with Lyles on Friday for the first time this spring, and he wasn’t too pleased with the first question about his 2021 role.
He referred the reporter to the manager. Twice.
“That’s a Woody question,” Lyles said.
When a different reporter asked Woodward later, he said that Lyles has already been told. He’s going to pitch multiple innings, either as a starter or in a piggyback. He can pitch his way into a more traditional starter’s role by pitching well.
Lyles did not do that in 2020, his first season with the Rangers. He finished the 60-game campaign with a robust 7.02 ERA in 12 appearances. Nine of those were starts, but the Rangers used an opener in front of him three times in an attempt to get him through an opposing lineup three times.
The Rangers have seen improvement this spring from Lyles, who has allowed one run in three innings. He spent the offseason focusing on making his off-speed pitches better after struggling with them last season.
“I’m glad he’s not happy about it,” Woodward said. “He’s got to earn every inning that he gets. We’re seeing a good version of Jordan right now. If he’s throwing three or four innings to start and he absolutely dominates, it’s an easy solution. Just let him keep going. We just want good innings.”
Dane Dunning, RHP
The key piece in the Lance Lynn trade looks like a strong candidate to be a starter in a piggyback, and says he is healthy enough to take on a full workload.
But he’s also on board with the Rangers’ attempt to protect him in his first full season after Tommy John surgery. Dunning made his MLB debut last season with the Chicago White Sox, but he logged only 34 innings.
He won’t overpower anyone with his five-pitch arsenal, from which he leans on his sinker and slider. While others might have more upside than other prospects, Dunning has the higher floor.
The Rangers have yet to discuss his role during the season.
“The only thing I’ve been focused on is what I can focus on,” Dunning said.
Kyle Cody, RHP
This right-hander’s rotation chances are boosted by what he did for the Rangers last season, posting a 1.59 ERA in 22 2/3 innings.
Like Dunning, Cody was coming off Tommy John surgery, and his innings will be watched this season.
The Rangers say Cody is unflappable. He showed that last season by managing to avoid trouble the few times opponents threatened.
A big fastball and good slider helped, too.
Wes Benjamin, LHP
The biggest surprise to the 60-man player pool for the 2020 season is on the verge of making his first Opening Day roster.
Benjamin does many of the things the Rangers want their pitchers to do, beginning with throwing strikes and attacking hitters. While not overpowering, he can draw on ample experience in the minors on how to get hitters out.
Adding a cutter in 2019 has helped give him another way to get hitters off his fastball.
The Rangers have no worries when it comes to Benjamin’s workload after he threw 135 1/3 innings in 2019 at Triple A Nashville. They have fewer and fewer worries about him surviving in the majors after watching him last season and this spring.
Kolby Allard, LHP
Allard is still working to solidify a spot with the Rangers after whiffing on his best opportunity last season as the first pitcher given the chance to replace Corey Kluber.
Allard impresses the Rangers with his composure on the mound and openness to suggestions from the pitching coaches and analytics department. He impressed on the mound Friday with the best outing by a Rangers pitcher this spring, three scoreless innings on one hit with six strikeouts.
Allard doesn’t have the stuff to blow hitters away. His command has to be precise in order for him to have success.
“His stuff looks good,” Woodward said. “And he’s competing. That’s one thing Kolby always does. He brings it every time he goes out there.”
Taylor Hearn, LHP
Hearn’s ability to pitch multiple innings in relief might make him too important to the bullpen in light of Jonathan Hernandez’s extended absence to start the season.
The Rangers will have to play a numbers game with their 13-man pitching staff. If half are needed for the rotation, the Rangers can’t operate with a bullpen of only one-inning relievers.
Hearn could slide into Hernandez’s spot nicely, but the Rangers also need to see if Hearn can be a starting pitcher. He has a big fastball, and his changeup has developed into a very good third pitch along with his slider.
While Benjamin and Allard aren’t overpowering, Hearn can be.
Hyeon-Jong Yang, LHP
The Rangers are taking Yang’s foray into major-league baseball seriously, and he opened more eyes Saturday with two scoreless innings.
“Everything is getting better,” Yang said. “I’m feeling more comfortable against the hitters, so everything is positive.”
Woodward said it’s unlikely that Yang would win a spot as a starter, barring undeniably dominant pitching the rest of the spring, but he is definitely in the mix to work in a piggyback tandem or as a multi-innings reliever.
Yang has the most experience of any pitcher on the roster, albeit in the Korea Baseball Organization. Only six pitchers in the world, all of them in Korea, worked more innings than Yang (172 1/3) last season.
He said he has worked to refine his curveball. All three of his strikeouts Saturday were against lefty hitters.
This story was originally published March 14, 2021 at 7:00 AM.
