Rangers' Jack Leiter injury update could help explain recent struggles

The Texas Rangers placed right-handed starter Jack Leiter on the 15-day injured list due to right ankle posterior impingement, the team announced on Sunday. Texas called up right-hander José Corniell as a corresponding move.

According to the Dallas Morning News' Shawn McFarland, Leiter has been dealing with ankle soreness for much of the season. Leiter's injury got worse when he slipped on the visitor's on-deck circle in the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates on April 22.

Leiter's injury may be a major reason for the right-hander's struggles this year. After allowing six earned runs to the Minnesota Twins in four innings on Thursday, Leiter's ERA rose to 5.29. In 80 innings across 15 starts this season, Leiter has a 23.4% strikeout rate and 1.44 WHIP.

Leiter, 26, hasn't lived up to his potential yet but showed promising signs last year, posting a 3.86 ERA in 151 2/3 innings over 29 starts. It's difficult not to speculate whether his ankle soreness is the reason he has regressed this year. Rangers president of baseball operations Chris Young even said the ankle issue is "altering [Leiter's) mechanics and clearly it's impacting his performance."

How Jack Leiter’s injury affects Rangers’ rotation

Young said the Rangers will be "creative" by using an opener in front of whoever assumes most of Leiter's innings. Without Leiter, the Rangers' rotation consists of Jacob deGrom, Kumar Rocker, MacKenzie Gore, and Nathan Eovaldi, who was scratched from his scheduled start on Saturday with knee discomfort but made the start Sunday.

Candidates to eat most of Leiter's innings include Corniell, Cal Quantrill and David Davalillo.

Corniell has struggled significantly with Triple-A Round Rock this season, posting a 6.08 ERA with 19 strikeouts and 10 walks in 26 2/3 innings across seven outings (six starts). He made his first and only MLB appearance last season, surrendering three earned runs across 1 2/3 innings out of the bullpen for Texas.

Besides Corniell and Quantrill, Davalillo is the only pitcher on the 40-man roster who could eat Leiter's innings. Davalillo has struggled in six starts with the Express this year, recording a 7.59 ERA with 17 strikeouts and 21 walks across 21 1/3 innings.

Quantrill is likely the best option for Texas to assume Leiter's innings. Quantrill struggled in his last two appearances but has still had a strong season overall, posting a 3.68 ERA in 29 1/3 innings across 15 relief appearances. With eight years of MLB experience under his belt, Quantrill seems to have the best chance to assume Leiter's innings.

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