Texas Rangers Starting Pitching Dominant In April

The Texas Rangers starting pitching rotation has been a highlight of this baseball team through April, consistently putting the team in a place to win.

Even without Yu Darvish, the Texas Rangers pitching rotation was a solid one that was going to put Texas in good game winning opportunities all season.

Ace Cole Hamels headlines the rotation after coming to the Rangers from the Philadelphia Phillies at the trade deadline of last season. Hamels to start, has pitched exceptionally for Texas this year. He has a 3-0 record, winning all three of his decisions while posting a 2.52 ERA. He’s struck out 23 hitters in 25 innings with opponents hitting just .227 against him. Hamels is currently on the ESPN leaderboard for Cy Young Contenders early this season. In his shortened stint with Texas last year, Hamels went 7-1 in 12 starts with a 3.66 ERA so it comes as no shock the dominance he’s displayed this year.

The only starter who can make the argument to have out pitched the ace lefty is the one who was last added to the roster as the 5th starter, AJ Griffin. Griffin is 3-0 in four starts with a 2.52 ERA in 25 innings of work which is identical to Hamels. His strikeout total is a bit lower at just 17, but opponents are hitting worse against Griffin with a batting average of just .189. Griffin was really the wild card of this rotation, having not pitched in the majors since 2013 after undergoing Tommy John surgery on his throwing elbow. He made the cut in Spring Training to be the team’s fifth starter until Yu Darvish returned and the Rangers were back to full force. However, his pitching this season has earned him, in many people’s opinion, a role in the rotation once Darvish returns at least for the foreseeable future.

The two additional lefties in the middle of this rotation have held their own as well giving Texas chances to win games. Derek Holland is sitting at 2-1 right now this season and will get the start tonight against the Angels. He’s posting a 3.13 ERA and a .212 opponent’s batting average in 23 innings on the mound. Holland seems to have found his slotting as a middle rotation pitcher who will consistently deliver quality starts.

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Martin Perez is probably the pitcher who has pitched the “worst” this year. He’s got a 1-2 record and an ERA over 4.00 but has pitched fairly consistently and given the Rangers chances to win. Regarding Perez, some question whether he will might be moved to the bullpen upon the return of Darvish to the rotation. Perez is the youngest of the Rangers pitchers and still has time to develop at just 25 years old. Once he masters the ability to consistently locate his breaking pitches early in counts, he’ll have a shot at making a run to the top end of the rotation.

The aging veteran Colby Lewis has held his own on the mound this year as well. Representing the eldest of the Texas starters, Lewis is 2-0 with an impressive 3.19 ERA. He’s started 5 games this year and opponent’s are hitting .292 against him but he’s managed to limit damage in the run scoring department. Lewis is the other name being mentioned as a possibility to be moved to the bullpen once Darvish returns. He has some relief experience and in my opinion would adjust the best to a reliever’s role.

The Texas Rangers have been fortunate to have great outings from starters that give them wins even when the offense is off. In their first 23 games, Texas Rangers starters have gone at least 5 innings in each of them, an astounding feat. Once Darvish returns, a balancing act will begin but be certain, this rotation has the potential to only become better and more lethal.

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