Rangers News: Jack Leiter in peril, a lefty flip-flop in the bullpen, trade deadline regrets

Did you know that after starting the season 4-1 in March, the Texas Rangers just have one month with a winning record? That came in June, when they went 16-11. Take that and the first five games of the season away, and this is a ball club that has a 46-57 record.

The Rangers could really use a spark, but given what's been going on recently, it's tough to see what could be on the horizon that could give Texas the shot in the arm it needs. Lately, some bullpen happenings have been going on, but unfortunately, the news is mostly bad.

Jack Leiter's return to the Rangers is in jeopardy

Jack Leiter's rehab assignment had not been going very well, and now we might know why. Leiter has been experiencing some biceps soreness and will be shut down for a few days. It could turn out to be longer than that, though.

It's all but a given that Leiter won't return as a starter this season, but that was unlikely to begin with anyway. The hope was that he could come back and boost the bullpen, especially after the only addition made to the unit was Chase Silseth, but now that's in doubt, too. We'll have to see how he responds to a few days of rest, but there's a chance that this is the curtain call on his 2026 campaign.

Rangers sent Robby Ahlstrom down to Round Rock, called up trade deadline acquisition Adam Macko

Robby Ahlstrom seemed to find his groove. After an up-and-down beginning to his big league career, he went on a tear after the All-Star break, posting 13 straight scoreless appearances with a 14-to-one strikeout-to-walk ratio from mid-July to mid-August.

Once the streak was snapped, however, the floodgates opened. Since August 12, the rookie southpaw had allowed 10 earned runs over just 5 1/3 innings. In particular, he was victimized by the long ball, surrendering three within that span.

The Rangers decided they had seen enough and made a change, sending Ahlstrom back to Round Rock and calling up lefty Adam Macko. Macko was acquired in exchange for Josh Smith at the deadline, but whether or not he's an answer remains to be seen.

Since coming over, Macko had thrown eight innings and allowed five earned runs in Round Rock. He previously posted a 4.10 ERA for Toronto's Triple-A affiliate, and a 4.91 ERA over 22 big league innings with the Blue Jays this season. He went 1 1/3 innings in last night's 6-1 defeat at the hands of the Milwaukee Brewers, allowing two earned runs in the process.

The bullpen's performance since the trade deadline should have Rangers filled with regret

The Texas bullpen has been an issue all season, and while we liked the Chase Silseth move at the time, we wanted more. Silseth has been okay since coming over from the Los Angeles Angels, posting a 3.75 ERA over 12 innings. There are some warning signs, though, specifically the nine walks and two homers he's allowed in that short time.

More importantly, the Rangers' bullpen as a unit has been very bad since the trade deadline came to a close. Since August 4, Texas relievers rank 25th in MLB with a 4.71 ERA. We can't say that we're surprised.

That's far from the Rangers only issue of late, but it's been a problem all year. The plan seemed to be hoping that internal improvements and injury returns would buoy the relief corps, but that hasn't happened, and with Jack Leiter's uncertainty, there may be no cavalry coming.

One has to wonder, then, if Chris Young is regretting not being more aggressive in acquiring bullpen help at the trade deadline. He certainly should be.

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