AAA: Round Rock 4, Sugar Land (HOU) 10
Round Rock: 8 hits, 7 walks, 16 strikeouts
Opponent: 9 hits, 6 walks, 12 strikeouts
Record: 33-29, 5 GB
SP AJ Alexy: 5 IP, 6 H (4 HR), 6 R, 3 BB, 5 SO, 89 P / 59 S, 7.51 ERA
RP Yerry Rodriguez: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO, 5.40 ERA
RP Jose Leclerc: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO, 5.40 ERA
DH Josh Smith: 1-5, .271/.378/.416
LF Nick Solak: 2-4, 2B, HR (3), BB, .270/.379/.459
Josh Smith is in Round Rock on rehab? In this economy? Certain injuries (hamstrings, obliques) always have me adding two weeks to the projected recovery. I guess his particular shoulder injury requires a subtraction.
AJ Alexy allowed homers 15 through 18 on the season. He’s thrown 56.1 innings. One of the dingers came off the bat at a leisurely 87 MPH but caught the right wind gust and cleared the fence by a foot. Still, what a season so far for Alexy. He’d taken several big steps forward last year, but 2022 has been a struggle.
AA: Frisco 0, Midland (OAK) 4
Frisco: 3 hits, 4 walks, 8 strikeouts
Opponent: 9 hits, 2 walks, 11 strikeouts
Record: 29-30, 3 GB
SP Zak Kent: 6.2 IP, 6 H (1 HR), 3 R, 2 BB, 10 SO, 98 P / 68 S, 6.29 ERA
RP Joe Corbett: 1.1 IP, 3 H (1 HR), 1 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 6.75 ERA
RP Josh Smith: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 SO, 0.00 ERA
The Riders are below .500 for the first time since… the end of 2019? I’m away from my usual writing place and missing some files, but I think that’s right. They started the season 10-2. Last year, Joe Corbett was terrific in low-A and got mauled upon promotion to high-A. This year: great in high-A, not so great in his first AA action.
High-A: Hickory 13, Greenville (BOS) 6
Hickory: 19 hits, 7 walks, 9 strikeouts
Opponent: 10 hits, 6 walks, 9 strikeouts
Record: 35-24, 0.5 GB
SP Ricky Vanasco: 5 IP, 5 H (1 HR), 4 R, 1 BB, 4 SO, 80 P / 54 S, 5.63 ERA
RF Aaron Zavala: 2-4, BB, .270/.426/.389
DH Luisangel Acuna: 3-6, 2B, SB (12), .327/.421/.612
CF Evan Carter: 1-3, 3 BB, .262/.344/.412
LF Trevor Hauver: 3-6, 2B, .245/.414/.442
3B Cody Freeman: 2-5, BB, .260/.343/.429
2B Thomas Saggese and SS Keyber Rodriguez also had two hits, and C Randy Florentino was 3-4 with a walk. Every starter reached at least twice.
So yeah, I did say Luisangel Acuna wasn’t really a 3/4/5 slash hitter. Perfectly happy downplaying expectations only to be shown up.
Low-A: Down East 4, at Lynchburg (CLE) 13
Down East: 7 hits, 3 walks, 11 strikeouts
Opponent: 9 hits, 8 walks, 6 strikeouts
Record: 28-31, 3 GB
SP Emiliano Teodo: 4 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 4 SO, 69 P / 41 S, 3.51 ERA
RP Jose Corniell: 1 IP, 1 H, 5 R, 3 BB, 1 HBP, 0 SO, 7.82 ERA
LF Alejandro Osuna: 3-4, SB (19), .305/.408/.471
Fresh off his no-hit bid, Emiliano Teodo held Lynchburg to an unearned run and no walks in four innings.
I’ve seen Jose Corniell in person and feel there’s a much better pitcher than his 7.82 ERA would suggest. In his first appearance since a brief IL visit, Bubba Hoopii-Tuionetoa gave up four runs on three walks, a hit batter and a single.
Catcher Xavier Valentin pitched the 8th. Position players on the mound became so commonplace during the past few years that it had turned from an entertaining diversion to an annoyance, but I’ve seen far less of it from the Rangers in 2022.
Today’s Starters
AAA: TBD
AA: TBD
Hi-A: Anderson
Lo-A: TBD
Five Years Ago Yesterday
Yohander Mendez allowed two homers. In 2017, his rate quadrupled over his career to date.