Rangers call up familiar face for unearned chance after depressing Triple-A stint

It seems fitting that the Texas Rangers used a pitcher whose call-up sends out a signal of surrender in a game where they might have surrendered their dreams of making the playoffs. Dane Dunning is officially back on Bruce Bochy's roster, and there was much rejoicing.

Dunning was once one of the tentpole pitchers for a Rangers team trying its best to build a pitching staff from the ground up. Acquired from the Chicago Whitesox over the winter of 2020, he was immediately slotted into Texas' rotation. In 2021 and 2022, he was primarily an underwhelming bottom-of-the-rotation starter, but in 2023, he seemed to put it all together as a swingman, posting a career-best 12-7 record with a career-best 3.70 ERA.

Texas Rangers bring back Dane Dunning, but early results mirror April struggles

Unfortunately, 2024 saw Dane Dunning return to mediocrity, posting a career-worst 5.31 earned run average. The Texas Rangers signed him to a one-year deal this winter, and he was given a shot to prove himself in the minors before his call-up earlier this week and appearance in Monday night's 6-0 loss to Baltimore.

'The thing is, Dunning didn't really prove himself in Triple-A. In 12 outings for Round Rock (11 starts), Dunning posted a 4.47 ERA while registering a 2-1 record. He did have 49 strikeouts in 46.1 innings, showing the promise that Chris Young keeps seeing in the veteran pitcher.

Unfortunately, Dunning started his second chance this season like most of his chances have gone. Against the Orioles, he pitched 2 innings, allowing 2 hits, 2 walks, and hitting a batter. He also allowed the final of the six runs the O's scored in the shutout victory.

It was deflatingly similar to his first outing for the Texas Rangers in April when he threw 3 innings, allowed 4 hits, walked 2, and had 2 runs scored against him. Dane Dunning appears to be roster fodder at this point, and the real question is how long he might be with the team this time.