Texas’s 6.44 runs per game in 2023 are the best in any 50-game stretch in franchise history. The park-adjusted league average is about 4.8 runs by my calculation, so Texas has outscored the average by 34.2%. Next best is not what I expected: a stretch ending June 10, 1981, when the Rangers scored 5.1 per game versus a park-adjusted league average of 3.85, or 32.5% better.
Back: OF Travis Jankowski
Hurt: IF/OF Ezequiel Duran (IL’ed, oblique)
Out: RHP Dane Dunning (paternity leave)
In: LHP Cody Bradford
Box Scores
AAA: Round Rock 1, at Albuquerque (COL) 4
Round Rock: 3 hits, 2 walks, 9 strikeouts
Opponent: 10 hits, 4 walks, 6 strikeouts
Record: 25-23, 10.5 GB
SP Josh Dye: 2.2 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 0 SO, 49 P / 25 S, 8.31 ERA
RP Grant Wolfram: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 11.05 ERA
DH Sam Huff: 1-3, HR (6), .274/.353/.453
Rehabbing Mitch Garver caught for the first time, threw out a runner at second, and drew two walks.
30-year-old Dinelson Lamet had been atrocious in relief for the Rockies, so they sent him back to AAA to become a potential big-league starter (?), and results are pretty good so far (?!). He struck out six in 4.2 scoreless innings.
AA: Frisco 10, at Arkansas (SEA) 9
Frisco: 14 hits, 7 walks, 12 strikeouts
Opponent: 9 hits, 3 walks, 8 strikeouts
Record: 19-23, 4.5 GB
SP Ricky Vanasco: 1.2 IP, 3 H, 6 R, 2 BB, 2 HBP, 2 SO, 46 P / 26 S, 23.14 ERA
RP Theo McDowell: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 SO, 3.15 ERA
RP Nick Starr: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 6.35 ERA
2B Thomas Saggese: 3-6, 2 2B, .299/.348/.437
RF Trevor Hauver: 2-4, 3B, HR (3), BB, .259/.376/.397
C Liam Hicks: 2-4, 2B, BB, .258/.425/.516
SS Chris Seise: 2-4, 2B, BB, .210/.303/.314
Frisco scored eight to open the 2nd, only to give back seven the same inning. Ricky Vanasco worked a quick 1st but then suffered the same fate as last week, throwing a bazillion pitches (officially 34) to retire two batters.
Trevor Hauver homered and tripled in the same inning.
Hi-A: Hickory 9, Asheville (HOU) 2
Hickory: 8 hits, 11 walks, 9 strikeouts
Opponent: 5 hits, 3 walks, 11 strikeouts
Record: 16-25, 8 GB
SP Larson Kindreich: 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 4 SO, 74 P / 45 S, 5.13 ERA
RP Brandon Webb: 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 SO, 6.88 ERA
SS Max Acosta: 2-5, SB (12), .314/.369/.453
C Tucker Mitchell: 1-2, 3 BB
CF Daniel Mateo: 2-4, BB, 4 SB (15), .269/.288/.428
SS Keyber Rodriguez: 1-2, 2 BB, SB (10), .270/.333/.344
Larson Kindreich is showing his best control professionally by far, chopping his BB/HBP rate in Hickory from 24% last year to 10% so far in 2023. Balancing that are a few more hits.
Lo-A: Down East 2, at Carolina (MIL) 4
Down East: 5 hits, 2 walks, 17 strikeouts
Opponent: 6 hits, 3 walks, 10 strikeouts
Record: 23-19, 0.5 GB
SP Brock Porter: 3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 SO, 38 P / 27 S, 1.07 ERA
RP Kai Wynyard: 2.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 4 SO, 1.35 ERA
LF Yosy Galan: 1-4, HR (6), .228/.326/.439
Brock Porter completed three perfect innings on just 38 pitches, but he apparently injured himself while warming for the 4th and was retrieved. Carolina’s announcer mentioned something about a leg but then said he wouldn’t want to speculate beyond that. Let’s hope it’s not serious.
Today’s Starters
AAA: Not Cody Bradford
AA: Roby
Hi-A: rained out
Lo-A: rained out
Five Years Ago Yesterday
Jeffrey Springs fanned six in three scoreless relief innings for Frisco.