Scott Lucas

(This is rambling, diffuse and solipsistic and probably shouldn’t have been sent, but hey, it’s an off-day for the minors.)

In early June, Texas signed OF Jarred Kelenic, who’d become a free agent after being outrighted by the White Sox. He’d batted an unremarkable .202/.346/.464 in AAA; his MLB line was .211/.283/.374 in 1,547 plate appearances. In Round Rock, he suddenly channeled Babe Ruth, hitting .340/.431/.620. I was soon receiving emails about the possibility of him joining Texas. On the 18th I wrote:

As a bench player, Kelenic probably doesn’t help or hurt the team relative to other options. If he’s playing often, I’m worried… I’ve found discussions of how Kelenic’s MLB Statcast data has been promising, and he’s had dreadful luck in terms of expected average and slugging versus actual results. Kelenic also turns 27 next month and has over 1,500 MLB plate appearances. At some point, “xBA” and “xSLG” don’t matter. There’s no mean to regress to. His actual performance is the mean. Could Texas get more out of him? Possibly. Enough to meaningfully improve the team’s fortunes? I doubt it. Giving Kelenic a significant role feels desperate. But then, the Rangers are 35-38, contending only because so many AL clubs are playing at the same level. 

The next day, Texas purchased his contract. Manager Skip Schumaker was disconcertingly effusive about the move*, reminding me of some of former manager Chris Woodward’s extravagant predictions**. The suggestion was he’d be the fat side of a platoon. Kelenic received a feature story in the Dallas Morning News containing verbs like “spark” and “boost.” All this for a replacement-level, 85 OPS+ hitter who had passed through waivers twice in seven months. 

This episode changed me. To be more embarrassingly precise, the idea that Kelenic could boost the Texas offense broke my brain for a little while. A 26-year-old has a strong two weeks in the hothouse PCL and now he’s part of the solution? Really? Does this sound like a contending team? Didn’t we endure something similar with Rowdy Tellez?

Ultimately, the talk was just that. Kelenic didn’t play much and was designated for assignment just ten days later. 

About the same time, my brain healed and I gained clarity. I’d spent all of 2025 and a decent chunk of 2026 watching with ever-increasing agitation what I truly believed was an underperforming squad. No longer. The Rangers were average. They might make the postseason, they might not, but regardless, they were average. I accepted that.

I haven’t reduced my watching and listening. I haven’t lost any enthusiasm for my writing. I haven’t become any less of a fan or disassociated. No, I just became a Stoic. In the past two months, both the Rangers and my emotions have hovered within a few games of .500. (Also, at the risk of being Abe Simpson yelling at a cloud, I also don’t find this playoff hunt emotionally compelling. Assuming the White Sox maintain some distance, we have eight teams, all but one below .500 and all but one with a negative run differential, fighting for two playoffs spots. The battles feel random, decided by coin flips.)

Alas, my newfound clarity did not aid my trade-deadline outlook. Given my opinion of the club, selling probably made the most sense. But at the same time, the club was still built for the moment. DeGrom, Eovaldi, Pederson and Nimmo were “win-now” players. Goodness knows the Gore trade was a “win-now” move. Annoyingly, I could argue for either path plus a third. I wrote this the morning after the deadline:

I emailed this to a reader while yesterday was still young: “There’s an argument for standing pat. It’s possible that playing mostly .500 ball but reeling off nine wins in 12 somewhere in there could be enough to get in. It’s such a bland division. That’s an ugly sell as a GM because it’s so passive, though.” I can’t imagine passivity was Texas’s strategy yesterday, but nevertheless the deadline passed with only one deal of modest consequence. 

Writing the team off is easy, especially after last night’s face-plant against the remnants of the Giants, but the Rangers are genuinely still in it. I say that not as a message of hope but as observation of fact. Maybe Bradford and Montgomery will help. Maybe a healthy Leiter will pitch at his best. Maybe Seager will put the team on his back. And maybe none of these happen and the Rangers go on a heater anyway. The AL feels very random, and some random team is going to hit their number on the roulette wheel. Could be Texas.

After the trade deadline, Texas was 55-58, 2.5 games out of 1st in the division and two behind the final wild card. Since then, the Rangers are 6-6 including a seemingly ruinous 2-5 road trip against baseball’s two worst teams, yet they’ve gained half a game in the division and eliminated the entire wild-card deficit. Here’s to passivity!

If the Rangers do reach the postseason, maybe we’ll see some stories about finally playing up to expectations or perseverance or (God forbid) destiny. No. They’re an average club. Even if they do some damage in October, which is quite possible given the nature of baseball plus the loopy playoff format***, they’re average. 

The farm might be slightly better than a few months ago, but any major offseason upgrades to the parent club will have to include major prospects, some you might personally consider untouchable. The alternative is spending money. 

If the message from ownership is “no,” I think the message from the front office should be likewise. The idea of another needle-threading, fringe-of-contention regular season is deeply unpalatable. I’d be inclined at that point to tell deGrom “we appreciate your faith in your teammates, but you need to think about what kind of team you’d like to pitch for in your waning days. Probably not the ’27 Rangers.” It doesn’t have to a be a strip-to-the-studs rebuild, but it will be time to fully conclude this version of the club. 

Between now and my imaginary offseason conversation with deGrom, I hope the Rangers play well. But I’m not going to get too emotional about it. 

* Of course, Schumaker had to speak favorably of him. Any manager would. I would, too. And to be clear, I’m happy to have Kelenic around and think he’s a perfectly decent 5th OF and righty bench bat. He’ll make bank in Japan or Korea next year. 

** In 2019, Woodward suggested Matt Davidson could be one of the league’s best right-handed hitters in three or four years. Davidson was already 28 and had been non-tendered by the White Sox over the winter. A year later, Woodward offered that Leody Taveras might hit 30-35 homers. I just think statements like that at best set unfair expectations for the players and at worst call into question the judgment of the speaker. I don’t think Schumaker’s statements reached even close to the level of Woodward’s, but they did give me pause. 

*** Having three divisions but just two byes and no-reseeding after the first round leads to weird and unfair matchups. There’s a good chance at least one wild card will have a better record than a division winner, and indeed, that’s happened in six of eight previous league-seasons under the current format. What that means is, on six of eight occasions, the #5 seed has faced a tougher first-round opponent than the #6 seed, and the #1 seed has faced the possibility of a tougher first-round opponent than the #2 seed. As it stands, one among Houston, Chicago and the final wild card will be in the ALCS, but two of Tampa Bay, New York and Boston won’t. 

Texas’s farm ranks 20th in the updated rankings of Baseball America and MLB Pipeline, both respectable upgrades over previous rankings. A combination of Walcott and Scarborough returning, no graduations and a favorably reviewed draft infusion spurred the improvement. 

Box Scores

AAA: Round Rock 12, Sugar Land (HOU) 5
Round Rock: 13 hits, 10 walks, 5 strikeouts
Opponent: 8 hits, 7 walks, 13 strikeouts
Record: 25-20, 6 GB, 56-64 overall

SP Trey Supak: 3 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 BB, 3 SO, 77 P / 40 S, 5.91 ERA
RP Marc Church: 2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 6 SO, 4.84 ERA
RP Ben Peoples: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 0.00 ERA
RP Emiliano Teodo: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 SO, 3.40 ERA
RP Wilian Bormie: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 SO, 3.47 ERA
LF Alejandro Osuna: 2-4, HR (2), .280/.381/.390
C Danny Jansen: 2-3, BB, .333/.412/.333
2B John Taylor: 1-3, 2B, 2 BB, .261/.386/.438
CF Orlando Martinez: 2-4, HR (1), BB, .260/.339/.360

Division-leading Sugar Land took four of six. Emiliano Teodo, Wilian Bormie, Ben Peoples and Joe Ross tossed scoreless innings. Marc Church did not but recorded all his outs via strikeout and missed ten bats with his slider and another with a fastball. Up until yesterday, he’d been solid if fairly low-key since returning from injury. I suspect he’ll have several suitors over the winter for a minor deal. 

I usually ignore awards because 1) I’m just not an awards guy, 2) if a Texas farmhand has had a great week, I’ve already covered it, and 3) it doesn’t matter if someone in the league office thinks “our” guy’s great week is slightly better or worse than some guy in Tacoma or Delmarva. That said, given all that beset him during the midseason, I’m happy to pass along that David Davalillo is the PCL Pitcher Of The Week. 


AA: Frisco 8, San Antonio (SDP) 5
Frisco: 11 hits, 4 walks, 8 strikeouts
Opponent: 9 hits, 3 walks, 11 strikeouts
Record: 24-21, tied for 1st, 63-50 overall

SP Blake Townsend: 5.2 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 1 HBP, 6 SO, 78 P / 49 S, 4.98 ERA
RF Yeison Morrobel: 3-4, 2 2B, SB (2), .295/.340/.463
LF Marcus Lee Sang: 3-4, HR (12), .301/.368/.469

Frisco averaged 7.7 runs in taking four of six from San Antonio. The “tied for 1st” doesn’t matter since Frisco claimed the first-half title. 


Hi-A: Hub City 5, Greenville (BOS) 10
Hub City: 8 hits, 3 walks, 7 strikeouts
Opponent: 14 hits, 5 walks, 11 strikeouts
Record: 18-29, 6 GB, 52-61 overall

SP Enrique Segura: 3 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 1 HBP, 6 SO, 70 P / 41 S, 7.07 ERA
DH Paxton Kling: 1-5, HR (7), .245/.384/.392
2B Casey Cook: 1-3, 2B, BB, SB (3), .180/.311/.382
1B Antonis Macias: 2-4, 2B, HR (7), .224/.352/.370

Hub City and Greenville shared the spoils last week. With 19 to play, the Burgers are six back and trail four other teams. Because of other intra-divisional series, I can’t figure out a way for Hub City to take the division with fewer than 12 wins, and even that requires enormous help from others. 

Casey Cook is about as far-removed from his college scouting report as can be imagined. The 2024 3rd-rounder’s ostensible path to the Majors was through a combination of keen eye and contact skills. In a month off the IL in 2026, he’s sitting on a .180 average, a 30% K rate and 8% BB rate, but he also has five homers in just 24 games. 


Lo-A: Hickory 5, at Kannapolis (CHW) 6 (13)
Hickory: 10 hits, 3 walks, 14 strikeouts
Opponent: 8 hits, 7 walks, 13 strikeouts
Record: 32-15, 5.5 G up, 66-45 overall

SP Jesus Lafalaise: 6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 6 SO, 75 P / 48 S, 4.08 ERA
RP Brandon Jaenke: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 0.00 ERA
RP Louis Marinaro: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO, 3.83 ERA
RP JD McReynolds: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO, 3.00 ERA
1B Kaden Carpenter: 2-6, 2B, .264/.375/.491
RF Deward Tovar: 2-5, 2B, BB, .232/.313/.436

Kannapolis had a fruitful week, taking four of six against one of the best teams in the minors to shave two games off Hickory’s division lead. Kannapolis also owns the tiebreaker, as these were the only second-half games between the clubs. Only one game was decided by more than two runs. 

This game was scoreless entering the 11th. In the 10th, JD McReynolds and Michael Trausch managed to prolong the game after a error put runners in scoring position with none out. Thereafter, Hickory’s leads of one, two and two again weren’t enough. Reliever Frank Martinez had a day to forget. Up a run but with runners at the corners, Martinez hastily grabbed a bunt down the line even as catcher Noah Franklin was racing up the line and screaming let it be in the hope of rolling foul. Tie game. Martinez then walked two but got Jake Berkland to swing through a would-be game-ending ball four to force a 13th. Finally, Martinez surrendered an RBI double, walk and two-run triple to end it. 

Jaenke is an undrafted free agent from Minnesota. 

Per local reports, two-wayers Josh Owens and Seong-Jun Kim are Hickory-bound. 

Five Years Ago Yesterday
Round Rock was rained out and the other squads were off. I published a late-season review of Baseball America’s preseason top 30, and I thought about reprinting it here, but instead I might save that for a later piece.

Box Scores

AAA: Round Rock 1, Sugar Land (HOU) 3
Round Rock: 4 hits, 2 walks, 5 strikeouts
Opponent: 7 hits, 4 walks, 11 strikeouts
Record: 24-20, 7 GB, 55-64 overall

SP Aidan Curry: 5 IP, 2 H (1 HR), 1 R, 1 BB, 3 SO, 83 P / 44 S, 1.80 ERA
RP Adam Macko: 1.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 4 SO, 9.00 ERA
SS Keyber Rodriguez: 1-3, HR (11), .214/.290/.411

Aidan Curry had a successful AAA debut aided by only one of 13 balls in play becoming a hit. Curry’s strike rate was only 53%, and he reached seven three-ball counts, but he walked just one and finished five innings with a not-unreasonable 83 pitches. Sugar Land was patient, swinging at only nine of 49 pitches out of the zone. 

Statcast listed a four-seamer, cutter, slider, sweeper, curve and change, and based on the movement profiles, I’m inclined to agree, although his sweeper has enough drop and his curve enough lateral movement to be siblings if not twins. The fastball averaged 92.6 and topped at 94. He missed nine bats, all but two with the cutter or slider. 

Round Rock couldn’t accomplish much against Bryce Mayer, who two weeks ago was manhandling the Riders up in Frisco. Like Curry, Mayer wasn’t missing as many bats at the higher level but wasn’t badly troubled. 

Macko’s slider showed up hungry last night, generating six whiffs on seven swings. Two singles (one firm, one cheap) and a walk in the 7th ended his night, and a Michel Otanez wild pitch plated the run.

IF Jonah Bride (1-3, double) accepted his outright assignment. 


AA: Frisco 7, San Antonio (SDP) 1
Frisco: 10 hits, 3 walks, 8 strikeouts
Opponent: 6 hits, 8 walks, 13 strikeouts
Record: 23-21, 1 GB, 62-50 overall

SP Joey Danielson: 2 IP, 3 H (1 HR), 1 R, 0 BB, 3 SO, 34 P / 25 S, 7.06 ERA
RP Brock Porter: 3.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 6 BB, 5 SO, 0.00 ERA
DH Sebastian Walcott: 2-4, 2B, .338/.386/.615
CF Dylan Dreiling: 3-4, 2 HR (21), .304/.378/.533
3B Rafe Perich: 2-4, HR (13), .297/.378/.563

Sebastian Walcott has three straight two-hit games and four doubles off the IL. Dylan Dreiling had his third two-homer night of the season. 

I saw this from Frisco’s social media last night…



…and immediately thought “oh no, how many did he walk?” The answer is six, exactly one of every three batters, and 40 of his 77 pitches were taken for balls. But hey, San Antonio came up empty on 14 of 28 swings. Porter can be awfully hard to hit. 

(Nothing at all against the folks in Frisco, to be sure. They have their job, I have mine.)

The promotions of Dalton Pence two weeks ago and Curry resulted in a Frisco rotation of Ben Anderson, DJ McCarty, Dylan MacLean, bullpen, bullpen and Blake Townsend this week. 


Hi-A: Hub City 4, Greenville (BOS) 2
Hub City: 9 hits, 4 walks, 9 strikeouts
Opponent: 7 hits, 6 walks, 7 strikeouts
Record: 18-28, 5 GB, 52-60 overall

SP Moises Morales: 3 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 1 SO, 37 P / 25 S, 6.00 ERA
RP Anthony Susac: 2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 SO, 3.50 ERA
CF Paxton Kling: 1-3, BB, SB (28), .246/.388/.384
RF Marcos Torres: 2-4, 2B, .306/.359/.500

Max Martin (1-3) blooped a double the opposite way but reached second grabbing his hamstring and was immediately replaced. 

Case Matter and Jesus Gamez both walked two in their respective innings but managed to keep the Drive off the board.


Lo-A: Hickory 2, at Kannapolis (CHW) 5
Hickory: 7 hits, 3 walks, 11 strikeouts
Opponent: 7 hits, 5 walks, 6 strikeouts
Record: 32-14, 6.5 G up, 66-44 overall

SP Jacob Johnson: 3 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO, 46 P / 30 S, 0.00 ERA
RP William Privette: 2.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 SO, 0.00 ERA
SS Yolfran Castillo: 1-3, BB, SB (50), .282/.385/.401
C Noah Franklin: 1-3, 2B, BB, .260/.422/.360
RF Kaden Carpenter: 2-4, 2B, SB (3), .255/.379/.489

Jacob Johnson didn’t miss as many bats as usual but was no less effective. He hasn’t allowed a run in seven low-A innings. 21-year-old newcomer Anthony Astudillo allowed eight runners and five runs in 2.2 innings. That jibes with his time in Arizona: an 11.08 ERA with matching peripherals. 

William Privette made his belated 2026 debut. Since being picked in 2023’s 13th round out of College of Charleston, Privette has thrown only 49 pro innings, missing all of 2024 and most of this year. 

Today’s Starters
AAA: Supak
AA: Townsend
Hi-A: Segura
Lo-A: Lafalaise

Five Years Ago Yesterday
Down East stole six bases to set a record for most low-A steals by a Texas affiliate dating back to 2000, as far as I looked. The Woodies did so in just 99 games. 2021 was wild. Let’s update that list:

Most Texas-affiliated low-A steals, 2000-2026 (highest player in parentheses):

2022: 308 (Marcus Smith, 47)
2021: 290 (Jayce Easley, 70), 120-game season
2016: 216 (Eric Jenkins, 51)
2023: 209 (Anthony Gutierrez, 30)

2000: 202 (Hank Blalock and Brett Cadiente, 31)
2025: 194 (Yeremi Cabrera, 43)
2024: 188 (Chandler Pollard, 39)
2011: 187 (Odubel Herrera, 34)
2003: 187 (Cameron Coughlan (47)

2026: 159 and counting (Yolfran Castillo, 50)

During 2005-2019, the most low-A steals were 266 by Asheville in 2006. In the 2020s, that mark has been surpassed 15 times. Down East set new records in consecutive seasons that were surpassed by Fayetteville’s 334 last year, and Lake Elsinore with 315 to date in 2026 is on pace for yet another record. 

Movement
RHP Wily Villar up to Hub City
RHP Brock Porter up to Frisco
RHP Aidan Curry up to Round Rock

A few days ago, RH Izack Tiger was placed on the IL. Last week, Tiger abruptly left a game in the middle of an opposing plate appearance.

Not to be gloomy, but the Porter promotion feels very “swim-or-sink.” Porter has a combined BB+HBP rate is 18%, which is actually worse than last year. Per usual, he’s squelched contact reasonably well, but not at a level of dominant relievers of yore (Evans, Barlow, Spears for a while) wherein opposing hitters have no chance if they don’t walk. In doing a little research, I’ve found examples of pitchers with his control profile in high-A who’ve not only reached but found success in the Majors, so I’m definitely not writing him off. But at some point he’s going to have to display a level of control previously lacking in his pro career. 

Curry is a swim-or-sink promotion as well but with the critical differences that he’s been pitching quite well, electric at times, and the Rangers want more data to inform their upcoming decision on his future. Curry can become a free agent after the season unless Texas decides he’s worth keeping around.

Box Scores

AAA: Round Rock 0, Sugar Land (HOU) 1
Round Rock: 5 hits, 3 walks, 9 strikeouts
Opponent: 2 hits, 2 walks, 9 strikeouts
Record: 24-19, 6 GB, 55-63 overall

SP David Davalillo: 6 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 7 SO, 76 P / 52 S, 5.71 ERA
RP Wilian Bormie: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 SO, 3.63 ERA
1B John Taylor: 1-3, BB, SB (10), .260/.384/.439

David Davalillo was masterful, permitting nothing but a lone 5th-inning single across six frames. This was the version that reached the top ten of prospect lists. His various offerings were in sync, he avoided the heart of the zone, he threw a high percentage of pitches just in or beyond the border and generated a high 42% chase rate and missed 15 bats, easily his most in AAA. Since returning to AAA, he’s tossed 13.1 walk-free innings. The control lapse that forced a shutdown and adventures with three lower-level squads appears to be eradicated. 

Round Rock didn’t permit a runner to reach second base until the 7th. A double-error-SF sequence with Ryan Lobus on the mound permitted the game’s only run. 

Sugar Land’s second-half resurgence is predicated entirely on pitching, and after Monday’s nine-run outburst, Round Rock has scored just three runs the last three games. 

Rehabbing Danny Jansen did not play.


AA: Frisco 14, San Antonio (SDP) 12
Frisco: 22 hits, 0 walks, 8 strikeouts
Opponent: 15 hits, 6 walks, 10 strikeouts
Record: 22-21, 1 GB, 61-50 overall

SP Cole Stasio: 2.2 IP, 4 H (2 HR), 2 R, 1 BB, 3 SO, 47 P / 34 S, 4.70 ERA
1B Arturo Disla: 1-3, HR (14), .293/.373/.529
2B Max Wagner: 2-5, HR (16), .254/.355/.543
CF Dylan Dreiling: 3-5, HR (19), .300/.374/.515
3B Corey Joyce: 4-5, 2B, 9 SB (9), .255/.333/.429
RF Yeison Morrobel: 4-5, 3B, .284/.326/.443
RF Marcus Lee Sang: 4-4, 2B, HR (11), .294/.359/.456

Frisco won the annual game in which the teams play rec-league softball. It’s always a blast and for a good cause (baseball-related economic activity). 

The Riders trailed 10-4 entering the bottom of the 6th. Arturo Disla knocked his career-best 20th homer but later appeared to catch his ankle on the turf fielding a grounder and had to be immediately replaced. 

Most hits by a team without a walk, hit batter or reached-on-error in full-season minors, 2005-2026:
23, Low-A West Virginia (2006)
22, AA Frisco (2026)


Hi-A: Hub City 3, Greenville (BOS) 8
Hub City: 4 hits, 2 walks, 11 strikeouts
Opponent: 7 hits, 0 walks, 10 strikeouts
Record: 17-28, 6 GB, 51-60 overall

SP Caden Scarborough I: 4 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO, 47 P / 30 S
SP Caden Scarborough II: 0.2 IP, 7 H (1 HR), 8 R, 0 BB, HBP, 25 P / 20 4.47 ERA
RP Cole Roland: 3.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 SO, 4.58 ERA
RP Wily Villar: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO, 0.00 ERA
DH Gleider Figuereo: 2-4, 2B, .243/.342/.454

Caden Scarborough I retired his first 12 opponents in order. 

Caden Scarborough II faced ten batters in the 5th and retired only two. He threw plenty of strikes, but Greenville was on the attack. This also wasn’t a case of a reliever letting three inherited runners score. Cole Roland took the mound with the bases empty. 

Wily Villar handled his high-A debut capably. He turns 28 in a few days and was signed only last May but is an actual relief prospect.


Lo-A: Hickory 3, at Kannapolis (CHW) 4
Hickory: 9 hits, 1 walk, 6 strikeouts
Opponent: 7 hits, 3 walks, 7 strikeouts
Record: 32-13, 7.5 G up, 66-43 overall

SP Mason McConnaughey: 2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 1 SO, 41 P / 26 S, 4.50 ERA
RP Geury Rodriguez: 3.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO, 2.88 ERA
SS Yolfran Castillo: 2-4, SB (49), .282/.384/.401
DH Deward Tovar: 1-4, HR (15), .229/.310/.433

In yesterday’s “five years ago” recap, I mentioned that Jayce Easley in 2021 was the first Ranger in five years to reach 50 steals. Yolfran Castillo is about to become the first in five years as well. With runners amok at the lower levels, I was surprised to find no Rangers reaching 50 during 2022-2025. Bubba Thompson had 49 in 2022, and Anthony Gutierrez stole 48 last year. 

Today’s Starters
AAA: Gonzalez listed but no
AA: Curry listed (he’ll be in AAA)
Hi-A: TBD
Lo-A: Johnson

Five Years Ago Yesterday
Much like Caden Scarborough, Frisco’s Ronny Henriquez retired his first nine but the next seven would reach safely and force his exit. Frisco didn’t score in a doubleheader sweep. At the time, the Riders had the league’s worst offense but best pitching. Frisco still held the league’s best record and a 4.5-game lead on a playoff spot, but, well, we’ll get to that later. 

Worst regular season winning percentages during seasons Y minus three years through Y plus three years, where Y equals year of World Series victory:
Florida (1997): .456
Texas (2023): .463 (to date)
Boston NL (1914): .472
New York NL (1969): .487
Minnesota (1987): .493
Kansas City (2015): .495

Box Scores

AAA: Round Rock 1, Sugar Land (HOU) 4
Round Rock: 3 hits, 1 walk, 11 strikeouts
Opponent: 6 hits, 6 walks, 12 strikeouts
Record: 24-18, 5 GB, 55-62 overall

SP Jack Leiter: 2.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 SO, 48 P / 32 S, 0.00 ERA
RP Dalton Pence: 3 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 2 SO, 3.72 ERA
RP Emiliano Teodo: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 6 SO, 3.47 ERA
C Danny Jansen: 1-3
RF Keyber Rodriguez: 1-3, HR (10), .216/.295/.405

Jack Leiter was on point. The three strikeouts were consecutive across the 1st and 2nd: two whiffs on fastballs and a Joey Loperfido pity swing on a slider. 

Dalton Pence was not on point, but that’s to be expected to an extent. He was in Spartanburg three months ago, and his walk rate was creeping up well before his promotion to AAA. A reasonable and attractive near-future for him would be drawing some attention next March and putting himself into position as a replacement starter. 

Emiliano Teodo virtually ignored the upper half of the strike zone while rendering the Cowboys helpless. 17 swings resulted in eight fouls and nine whiffs. Since his LB debut and a poor outing upon returning to AAA, he’s reeled off five straight scoreless appearances and fanned 13 of 28 batters. I’d still be leery of using him in a meaningful situation during a playoff hunt, but if the Rangers find themselves playing meaningless ball in the waning weeks and Teodo is still dealing, that could be a means of breaking him in. 

Logan O’Hoppe (1-4, double) continues to play every day. He’s making $2.625 million in his first arbitration year. Even at his best, he’s whiff-heavy, but if Texas can straighten him out enough (defensively as well) he’d be cheaper in 2027 than most anyone on the open market. 


AA: Frisco 6, San Antonio (SDP) 8
Frisco: 10 hits, 3 walks, 13 strikeouts
Opponent: 7 hits, 7 walks, 9 strikeouts
Record: 21-21, 1 GB, 60-50 overall

SP Dylan MacLean: 1.1 IP, 3 H (2 HR), 5 R, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 2 SO, 46 P / 28 S, 4.78 ERA
DH Sebastian Walcott: 2-5, 2 2B, .328/.379/.607
CF Dylan Dreiling: 2-5, 2B, HR (18), .296/.372/.505
3B Rafe Perich: 2-4, 2B, HR (12), .291/.375/.552

The hitters you’d like to see in the recap are in the recap, but the Missions chased Dylan MacLean in the 2nd. Texas’s 2020 4th-rounder has a 20% K rate, which used to be above average but no longer. His 4.78 ERA doesn’t entice but is actually below the league average of 5.00. He’s doing okay in a tough environment for pitchers. 


Hi-A: Hub City 6, Greenville (BOS) 3
Hub City: 5 hits, 6 walks, 8 strikeouts
Opponent: 6 hits, 6 walks, 6 strikeouts
Record: 17-27, 5 GB, 51-59 overall

SP Luimy Munoz: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 21 P / 12 S, 46045.00 ERA
RP Kamdyn Perry: 4.2 IP, 3 H (1 HR), 1 R, 3 BB, HBP, 3 SO, 9.66 ERA

Kamdyn Perry still had trouble throwing strikes but managed to strand most of the runners. Hub City had only one hit with runners in scoring position but took advantage of the Drive’s miscues and wildness. 


Lo-A: Hickory 5, at Kannapolis (CHW) 3
Hickory: 12 hits, 4 walks, 7 strikeouts
Opponent: 7 hits, 5 walks, 9 strikeouts
Record: 32-12, 8.5 G up, 66-42 overall

SP Evan Siary: 5.2 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 6 SO, 82 P / 52 S, 3.13 ERA
RP Michael Trausch: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 SO, 2.79 ERA
CF Marco Argudin: 1-4, HR (4), .270/.392/.397
1B Pablo Guerrero: 1-3, 2B, 2 BB, .327/.450/.541
RF Jamaurion McQueen: 3-5, 2 SB (2), .321/.457/.321
LF Kaden Carpenter: 1-4, HR (3), .225/.360/.475

I don’t want to start posting magic numbers with three-plus weeks to play, but we’re reaching the point where an utter collapse plus a white-hot streak by a competitor will be necessary for Hickory to miss the playoffs. And while not the flashiest pitcher in the system, Evan Siary might be who you want on the mound in Game 1. He sports a 2.29 ERA and 42 strikeouts versus just nine walks in 39 second-half innings. Marco Argudin entered the series with an isolated power of .102 but has two homers in the last three games. 

Today’s Starters
AAA: Davalillo
AA: Stasio
Hi-A: Scarborough
Lo-A: McConnaughey

Five Years Ago Yesterday
AJ Alexy fanned nine and walked two in five scoreless AAA innings. Late 2021 was his peak as a prospect. Jayce Easley became the first Texas farmhand to reach 50 steals since Eric Jenkins in 2016. 

Box Scores

AAA: Round Rock 2, Sugar Land (HOU) 10
Round Rock: 6 hits, 6 walks, 11 strikeouts
Opponent: 10 hits, 7 walks, 11 strikeouts
Record: 24-17, 4 GB, 55-61 overall

SP Winston Santos: 2 IP, 4 H (1 HR), 5 R, 2 BB, 5 SO, 57 P / 35 S, 8.68 ERA
RP Adam Macko: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 SO, 10.80 ERA
DH Danny Jansen: 0-4
C Logan O’Hoppe: 1-4, BB, .282/.391/.513

Winston Santos continues to pitch in a quirky swing role with disappointing results. Colin Price sent a high slider to halfway to Georgetown. Strikes were a 50/50 proposition for Adam Macko, but after replacing Santos with one on and immediately walking Jake Meyers, he retired the next three. 


AA: Frisco 7, San Antonio (SDP) 3
Frisco: 9 hits, 5 walks, 8 strikeouts
Opponent: 6 hits, 2 walks, 10 strikeouts
Record: 21-20, 1 GB, 60-49 overall

SP D.J. McCarty: 5 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 5 SO, 76 P / 50 S, 7.94 ERA
RP Leandro Lopez: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 SO, 6.81 ERA
RP Eric Loomis: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 3.68 ERA
DH Sebastian Walcott: 2-4, 2B, BB, .321/.377/.589
SS Frainyer Chavez: 2-3, 2 BB, .276/.384/.423
LF Max Wagner: 2-5, HR (15), SB (3), .250/.356/.537

Oh look, Sebastian Walcott is back. His single came off the bat at 112 MPH. The number of Express batters with a harder hit is zero. 

Hey, Max Wagner ended the game with a grand slam. The opposing pitcher was former Ranger Jose Leclerc, who walked the previous two batters and went 3-1 to Wagner before consistently throwing in or close enough to the zone to require swings. Leclerc has barely pitched the past two years, dealing with a lat strain and undergoing shoulder surgery. He’s with the Pads on a minor deal. 


Hi-A: Hub City 3, Greenville (BOS) 2 (7)
Hub City: 8 hits, 3 walks, 10 strikeouts
Opponent: 2 hits, 4 walks, 9 strikeouts
Record: 16-27, 6 GB, 50-59 overall

SP AJ Russell: 4 IP, 2 H (1 HR), 2 R, 2 BB, 7 SO, 62 P / 38 S, 5.64 ERA
RP Owen Proksch: 2.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 SO, 1.80 ERA
CF Paxton Kling: 1-2, BB, HBP, 3 SB (25), .251/.388/.395
1B Antonis Macias: 3-4, .276/.377/.398

Russell set career-bests in innings and strikeouts. He also surrendered a homer in a third straight start. High-A has not been a cake walk. Paxton Kling has nine steals in nine games off the IL. He’s also hitting .200/.317/.343 in that span. Attributing that vanilla line to anything but short-sample luck isn’t advised, but it’s worth noting he was out with a wrist fracture. While healthy enough to play, he might not be 100%. 


Lo-A: Hickory 4, at Kannapolis (CHW) 5
Hickory: 8 hits, 2 walks, 12 strikeouts
Opponent: 9 hits, 4 walks, 7 strikeouts
Record: 31-12, 7.5 G up, 65-42 overall

SP Alejandro Chiquillo: 4.2 IP, 5 H (1 HR), 5 R, 2 BB, 5 SO, 75 P / 49 S, 4.15 ERA
RP Jormy Nivar: 3.1 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 SO, 2.90 ERA
1B Pablo Guerrero: 3-4, .326/.443/.537

Down four in the 9th, Hickory plated three and had the tying run on first with one out, but 3B Alexander Albertus caught Kolby Branch’s sharp liner and doubled off Deward Tovar. 

Pablo Guerrero continues to outhit any previous work, even his 2024 at the friendly complex. Until very recently, he was among the many hitters who lorded over Arizona but fell into a pit making the jump to full-season ball. He was promoted at just 18 and only turned 20 two weeks ago. At the least, he’s someone to keep an eye on. 

Today’s Starters
AAA: Pence (and Leiter)
AA: MacLean
Hi-A: TBD
Lo-A: Siary

Five Years Ago Yesterday
With his ninth homer, IF Thomas Saggese was on the verge of becoming the first Texas teenager to reach double-digit homers since Nomar Mazara and Travis Demeritte in 2014. 

Number of players on Texas 40-man roster during calendar year (one of these numbers is unlike the others):
2021 — 83
2022 — 74
2023 — 64
2024 — 79
2025 — 77
2026 — 65 so far

The Angels relieved pitching coach Mike Maddux of his duties yesterday. Since the former GM was on thin ice and had hired the new manager to a one-year deal, Maddux had to know his time in LA could be brief, but perhaps not this brief. The Angels have some success stories (Detmers, Soriano) but also a worse ERA- than last year. I couldn’t pretend to know how much credit or blame to ascribe to Maddux, but I do know (courtesy of Eric Nadel) that not a single member of LA’s Opening Day pen was on the active roster as of Monday. Under maybe-not-so-interim GM John Mozeliak, the Angels have occasionally acted more like an ordinary franchise, and I suppose this is his way of kick-starting the organizational overhaul. 

For my part, I think it’s useful for MLB to always have at least a couple of clubs operating buffoonishly so that fans can say “I could do better” with a kernel of truth.

Box Scores

AAA: Round Rock 9, Sugar Land (HOU) 8 (10)
Round Rock: 11 hits, 4 walks, 8 strikeouts
Opponent: 10 hits, 4 walks, 12 strikeouts
Record: 24-16, 3 GB, 55-60 overall

SP Trey Supak: 4.2 IP, 8 H (1 HR), 5 R, 1 BB, 5 SO, 79 P / 55 S, 5.68 ERA
RP Ryan Lobus: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO, 4.02 ERA
RP Gavin Collyer: 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 2 SO, 2.19 ERA
C Danny Jansen: 1-2
DH Logan O’Hoppe: 2-4, 2B, HR (1), .286/.390/.543
LF Aaron Zavala: 1-4, HR (8), .267/.359/.427

In the 10th, John Taylor singled home both runners in scoring position after a Juian Brock walk and Logan O’Hoppe bunt. O’Hoppe homered to the upper deck in the 3rd and scorched a double. 

Gavin Collyer’s run was as unearned as possible. Sugar Land’s Pascanel Ferreras reached on catcher’s interference and scored when CF Alejandro Osuna lost a high two-out fly in the twilight. 

Tasked with saving a one-run lead in the 9th, Wilian Bormie hit a batter and walked two more including the game-tying run. Bormie has faced exactly 100 batters in both AA and AAA this season, making for some easy comparisons:



In AAA, Bormie has added five walks and lost ten strikeouts. On a more granular level, he’s turned a healthy number of whiffs into pitches taken for balls. Bormie has a respectable 3.80 ERA in 21.1 innings, but in terms of peripherals he’s been another high-strikeout high-walk type, of which there is no shortage. 


AA: Frisco 4, San Antonio (SDP) 7
Frisco: 9 hits, 3 walks, 5 strikeouts
Opponent: 18 hits, 2 walks, 8 strikeouts
Record: 20-20, 2 GB, 59-49 overall

SP Ben Anderson: 5 IP, 13 H, 6 R, 0 BB, 3 SO, 86 P / 54 S, 6.24 ERA
RP Joey Danielson: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO, 7.32 ERA
3B Rafe Perich: 2-3, BB, .290/.377/.539
CF Dylan Dreiling: 2-3, BB, .294/.371/.496

Righty Leandro Lopez is off an IL stay of nearly three months because of shoulder fatigue.


Hi-A: Suspended

Hub City trails 5-0 in the 3rd. Ismael Agreda retired the game’s first two batters but then surrendered five hits and runs. 


Lo-A: Hickory 3, at Kannapolis (CHW) 1
Hickory: 2 hits, 9 walks, 14 strikeouts
Opponent: 6 hits, 5 walks, 11 strikeouts
Record: 31-11, 8.5 G up, 65-41 overall

SP Connor O’Hara: 3.2 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 5 SO, 71 P / 46 S, 2.70 ERA
RP Louis Marinaro: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 SO, 3.92 ERA
RP Aneudis Mejia: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO, 5.72 ERA
RP Michael Trausch: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 SO, 2.89 ERA
RF Marco Argudin: 1-4, HR (3), .276/.399/.392
C Noah Franklin: 1-3, BB, .256/.431/.359

Marco Argudin isn’t a great power source but will happily turn on pitches across the heart of the plate. His was one of only two Hickory hits and accounted for all the runs. 

OF Jay McQueen is off the IL as of Sunday; I forgot to mention it then. 

Today’s Starters
AAA: Santos
AA: McCarty
Hi-A: Russell
Lo-A: Chiquillo

Five Years Ago Yesterday
Frisco placed Sal Mendez, Blake Bass, Hever Bueno, Stephen Villines, Melvin Novoa, and JP Martinez on the IL. Welcome to Summer of Covid 2021. Partially replacing them from high-A Hickory were RHP Daniel Robert and IFs Justin Foscue and Josh Smith. Frisco did make the trip to Springfield and won 4-2 in extras behind homers from Bubba Thompson and Blaine Crim. 

Per the Rangers, Neil Leibman is leaving his organization roles with the Ranger effective immediately. He had been chairman of the Rangers Ownership Committee and the Rangers Sports Media and Entertainment Company, the parent organization for both Rangers Sports Network and REV Entertainment. 

Box Scores

AAA: Round Rock 9, at Sacramento (SFO) 10
Round Rock: 13 hits, 6 walks, 9 strikeouts
Opponent: 12 hits, 1 walk, 4 strikeouts
Record: 23-16, 4 GB, 54-60 overall

SP Marco Gonzales: 5 IP, 4 H (1 HR), 1 R, 0 BB, 3 SO, 64 P / 43 S, 7.70 ERA
RP Adam Macko: 0.1 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 0 BB, 0 SO, 15.43 ERA
RP Emiliano Teodo: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 SO, 3.61 ERA
CF Jarred Kelenic: 2-4, BB, SB (10), .373/.447/.655
2B John Taylor: 3-4, HR (7), BB, .261/.391/.456
DH Logan O’Hoppe: 1-3, 2B, 2 BB, .258/.378/.419

Adam Macko’s second AAA outing was undesirable. Several centered fastballs were bopped them firmly for hits. Still, he received a curiously quick pull, getting a leisurely coach visit after 14 pitches while Joe Ross warmed in earnest followed by a managerial visit four pitches later. 

Logan O’Hoppe has DHed or caught every game since joining the Express. 

His power has waxed and waned, but Jonah Bride has been an on-base machine with the Express, never reaching at below a .368 rate in any month. 

Marco Gonzales returned to the organization. His two best AAA starts have been his most recent, and he managed to avoid much permanent damage in his two outings with Texas. 

Round Rock split the series and picked up a game on Sugar Land. The teams will meet in Round Rock this week. With six weeks to play, this doesn’t reach the level of make-or-break, but a decisive victory by either side would greatly change the outlook. Round Rock has a very favorable remaining schedule: four weeks out of six at home, road trips to the league’s two worst teams.


AA: Frisco 4, at Midland (ATH) 5
Frisco: 9 hits, 3 walks, 5 strikeouts
Opponent: 11 hits, 3 walks, 6 strikeouts
Record: 20-19, 1 GB, 59-48 overall

SP Blake Townsend: 6 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 4 SO, 86 P / 54 S, 5.00 ERA
3B Rafe Perich: 2-4, 2B, BB, .285/.357/.514
C Malcolm Moore: 1-3, 2B, BB, HBP, .211/.305/.407
RF Keith Jones II: 2-3, 2 2B, HBP, SB (14), .231/.341/.401

Since the All-Star break, both Rafe Perich (.213/.272/.307) and Malcolm Moore (.192/.309/.340) have been fairly quiet. The switch-hitting Perich also has a pronounced platoon split: .165/.241/.266 vs. lefties, .329/.417/.650 against righties, although the difference is less in AA. 


Hi-A: Hub City 2, at Bowling Green (TAM) 11
Hub City: 6 hits, 3 walks, 9 strikeouts
Opponent: 14 hits, 4 walks, 9 strikeouts
Record: 15-26, 5.5 GB, 49-58 overall

SP Enrique Segura: 2.1 IP, 7 H (2 HR), 5 R, 1 BB, 4 SO, 63 P / 39 S, 7.28 ERA
2B Casey Cook: 1-3, HR (5), BB, .200/.341/.443

I’d hoped Bowling Green would forget they were Bowling Green for one more day, but alas. Still, the Burgers took four of six and are the only team to win a series in Kentucky this season.

I listed Hub City as 10.5 games back yesterday and 5.5 today. Here’s the current standings:
1. Bowling Green*: 27-15
2. Greenville: 21-21, 6 GB
6. Hub City: 15-26, 11.5 GB

The asterisk means Bowling Green won the first half, so the second-half title will be someone else. Until today, I hadn’t bothered to alter the games-back calculation because Hub City has been mired in last for several weeks. They’re still in last but only 5.5 back of Greenville, and they host the Drive this week, so I’ll use that calculation henceforth. 



Lo-A: Hickory 7, Augusta (ATL) 2
Hickory: 11 hits, 1 walk, 8 strikeouts
Opponent: 6 hits, 6 walks, 9 strikeouts
Record: 30-11, 7.5 G up, 64-41 overall

SP Jesus Lafalaise: 5.1 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 5 BB, 1 HBP, 4 SO, 79 P / 45 S, 4.39 ERA
RP Josh Sanders: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO, 3.72 ERA
DH Pablo Guerrero: 2-4, 2B, .318/.439/.545
1B Kaden Carpenter: 2-4, HR (2), SB (2), .258/.351/.484

With two on and two out against new reliever Styven Paez, Hickory reeled off four straight hits to blow open a close game, 

Augusta, Kannapolis and Charleston (the first-half winner) are all 7.5 games back. Hickory visits Kannapolis this week while Augusta hosts Charleston. 


Five Years Ago Yesterday
Round Rock’s Charles Leblanc hit a grand slam and played shortstop for the first time all season (because Yonny Hernandez had been called up). Texas lost him in the minor phase of 2021’s Rule 5, and I recall being caught off guard by Baseball America’s effusive assessment (“the greatest offensive upside” of any position player taken without MLB experience.) A revamped swing had resulted in a power spike, but a 35% K rate had me wondering if he’d be swamped in MLB, plus he wasn’t ever going to play short at the highest level. BA eventually won that argument, as he reached the Majors with Miami and batted .263/.320/.404 (despite a 32% K rate). 

Box Scores

AAA: Round Rock 2, at Sacramento (SFO) 9
Round Rock: 5 hits, 2 walks, 6 strikeouts
Opponent: 13 hits, 2 walks, 3 strikeouts
Record: 23-15, 4 GB, 54-59 overall

SP David Davalillo: 4.1 IP, 7 H (1 HR), 4 R, 0 BB, 2 SO, 73 P / 53 S, 6.91 ERA
RP Winston Santos: 2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 1 SO, 7.02 ERA
C Logan O’Hoppe: 1-3, HBP, .250/.344/.393

Davalillo had a 73% strike rate and was above 50% on all of his five pitch types. Sacramento did hit him pretty hard, though. Santos pitched in relief after a short start three days prior. Perhaps unintentionally, he’s thrown in a swing role lately but with no change in his fortune. 


AA: Frisco 0, at Midland (ATH) 5
Frisco: 8 hits, 3 walks, 13 strikeouts
Opponent: 10 hits, 4 walks, 13 strikeouts
Record: 20-18, 1 GB, 59-47 overall

SP Cole Stasio: 2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 4 SO, 35 P / 18 S, 4.43 ERA
RP Jonathan Brand: 3 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 7 SO, 4.37 ERA

A bullpen start, an 0-for-10 night with runners in scoring position, no steals for Arturo Disla. Let’s move on.


Hi-A: Hub City 6, at Bowling Green (TAM) 1
Hub City: 8 hits, 6 walks, 10 strikeouts
Opponent: 4 hits, 5 walks, 16 strikeouts
Record: 15-25, 10.5 GB, 49-57 overall

SP Izack Tiger: 4 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 5 SO, 52 P / 33 S, 8.27 ERA
RP Owen Proksch: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 SO, 1.69 ERA
RP Brock Porter: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 SO, 3.81 ERA
RP Jesus Gamez: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 SO, 3.41 ERA
SS Luke Hanson: 3-4, 2 HR (14), BB, SB (14), .277/.360/.449

Izack Tiger was pulled four pitches into the first batter of the 5th. He had his glove over his face as he entered the dugout. Tiger missed all of 2025 because of elbow surgery and returned to game action in late May. I didn’t see anything obvious in the video and am unwilling to speculate. Hope for not-terrible news. 

Four relievers combined to allow just one hit and fan 11 across the final five innings. Luke Hanson drove in every run with a grand slam, solo homer and single. 

Entering the week, Bowling Green was 37-10 at home without a single series lost. Now they have one.


Lo-A: Hickory 10, Augusta (ATL) 1
Hickory: 11 hits, 5 walks, 6 strikeouts
Opponent: 5 hits, 4 walks, 10 strikeouts
Record: 29-11, 6.5 G up, 63-41 overall

SP Jacob Johnson: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 3 SO, 41 P / 23 S, 0.00 ERA
RP Moises Morales: 5 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 4 SO, 3.57 ERA
RP Frank Martinez: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO, 7.78 ERA
RF Marco Argudin: 1-3, BB, HBP, SB (8), .283/.409/.387
CF Paulino Santana: 2-4, 2B, BB, 2 SB (21), .275/.397/.456
SS Yolfran Castillo: 2-5, HR (6), SB (46), .281/.384/.403
1B Pablo Guerrero: 2-3, BB, SB (2), .310/.437/.536
DH Deward Tovar: 2-4, HR (14), BB, .225/.308/.423

Hickory will fashion no worse than a split and could win the series today against their primary division contender. No minor league team has a better second-half record or run differential. Paulino Santana leads hitters in the second half with a .297/.410/.500 line including six homers. Yolfran Castillo has tapered to .247/.346/.377 but has four homers and more walks (24) than strikeouts (22).

Today’s Starters
AAA: Supak
AA: Townsend
Hi-A: Segura
Lo-A: Lafalaise

Five Years Ago Yesterday
Brock Burke struck out eight in five scoreless for Round Rock. Frisco played with a smaller roster due to at least one positive covid test. The Philadelphia organization was laggard in vaccinations and had 13 rookie-league games cancelled. 

Box Scores

AAA: Round Rock 7, at Sacramento (SFO) 1
Round Rock: 10 hits, 2 walks, 9 strikeouts
Opponent: 3 hits, 3 walks, 10 strikeouts
Record: 23-14, 4 GB, 54-58 overall

SP Dalton Pence: 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 6 SO, 63 P / 46 S, 2.70 ERA
C Julian Brock: 1-4, HR (1), .364/.462/.727

Pitching minus my attendance for the first time in three weeks, Dalton Pence produced one of his best starts. I can take a hint. Pence had his full repertoire in sync, inducing more out-of-zone swings (18) than in-zone (17) and ten swinging strikes. Both times I observed him, the slider lagged what I’d seen on video, but it was his foundational pitch Friday, used first to 12 of 18 batters (ten times for strikes) and generating eight calls and three misses. 

Logan O’Hoppe (.240/.321/.400 in six games) doubled to the opposite gap to plate two in the 1st. 


AA: Frisco 6, at Midland (ATH) 4
Frisco: 13 hits, 0 walks, 10strikeouts
Opponent: 9 hits, 3 walks, 8 strikeouts
Record: 20-17, tied for first, 59-46 overall

SP Aidan Curry: 4 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 6 SO, 66 P / 41 S, 5.24 ERA
SS Frainyer Chavez: 3-5, .271/.377/.424

Frisco trailed much of the game but pulled ahead with a four-run 8th capped by Malcolm Moore’s RBI single. Dylan Dreiling’s double was the only extra-base hit. Frisco also had one steal, and you’d better believe it was from Arturo Disla. Aidan Curry had his shortest outing of the year by pitches.


Hi-A: Hub City 8, at Bowling Green (TAM) 7
Hub City: 12 hits, 1 walk, 4 strikeouts
Opponent: 7 hits, 4 walks, 7 strikeouts
Record: 15-25, 11.5 GB, 49-57 overall

SP Caden Scarborough: 5.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 5 SO, 75 P / 51 S, 3.18 ERA
RP Luimy Munoz: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 SO, 1.69 ERA
DH Casey Cook: 2-5, 2B, HR (4), .194/.342/.419
RF Maxton Martin: 3-4, 2B, HR (16), .234/.304/.444
1B Antonis Macias: 3-4, 2 2B, .263/.366/.389

Scarborough reached a season high in pitches and innings, tallying strikeouts with the fastball, slider and split. 

Max Martin smashed a pitch off the scoreboard beyond the right-center scoreboard and one-hopped the fence the other direction for a double. On the latter, LF Jhon Diaz rushed in two steps and wished he hadn’t. 

Hub City barely held on after leading 8-1 at the stretch. Luimy Munoz warded off four Bowling Green plate appearances with the tying run in scoring position. The Burgers have taken three of four on the road from one of the best teams in the minors. 


Lo-A: Hickory 4, Augusta (ATL) 3
Hickory: 4 hits, 3 walks, 9 strikeouts
Opponent: 12 hits, 3 walks, 12 strikeouts
Record: 28-11, 5.5 G up, 62-41 overall

SP Mason McConnaughey: 4 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO, 54 P / 33 S, 3.75 ERA
RP Michael Trausch: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 SO, 2.96 ERA
RP JD McReynolds: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO, 3.25 ERA
C Noah Franklin: 1-3, HR (1), .265/.405/.382

Noah Franklin hit his first full-season homer after five at the complex. Control has been McConnaughey’s forte so far, with three walks issued in 12 innings.

Today’s Starters
AAA: Davalillo
AA: TBD
Hi-A: Tiger
Lo-A: Johnson

Five Years Ago Yesterday
I saw newcomer Glenn Otto for the first time. For the most part, I liked what I saw but still pinned a “reliever” tag on him because of an almost total reliance on two pitches. The change was very infrequent, the curve completely absent. Instead Otto relied heavily on a sweeper, a relatively new and career-altering pitch that propelled him to a 40% K rate in AA before the Gallo trade. By my pre-Statcast count, he threw 35 and missed ten bats.