I’m out of pocket much of the week, so reports will be brief. The rookies in Surprise and the Texas’s two Dominican Summer League entries commenced play Monday. I provide a summary of the complex league every week and check in with the DSL intermittently. I’ll get to a proper rookie preview when time permits. As has been expected from nearly the get-go, top January 2023 signing SS Sebastian Walcott is starting his career in the DSL.
And deGrom. Obviously this is terrible news, and there’s no sugar-coating it. The idea that whatever his injury he’d be here for the stretch run still holds, but that stretch run is now in 2024. The silver lining is the Rangers are 34-20 with a +133 run differential when deGrom doesn’t pitch. Okay, believing the Rangers are really a .630 team absent deGrom requires more drinks than I’m willing to consume even on vacation. But are they still good? Yes. The rotation wasn’t deGrom plus four fifth starters.
Box Scores
AAA: Round Rock 5, at Salt Lake (LAA) 6
Round Rock: 8 hits, 7 walks, 9 strikeouts
Opponent: 7 hits, 4 walks, 9 strikeouts
Record: 32-26, 9 GB
SP James Marvel: 2.2 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 3 BB, 1 HBP, 4 SO, 69 P / 38 S, 7.88 ERA
RP Triston Polley: 2.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 2.08 ERA
RP Joe Barlow: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 2.45 ERA
C Sam Huff: 1-3, 2 BB, .270/.347/.466
1B Blaine Crim: 2-2, 2B, 2 BB, .263/.365/.433
SS Davis Wendzel: 2-4, .266/.389/.544
I haven’t done more than perfunctory research, but Davis Wendzel is certainly hitting the ball with more consistent authority than any time in AAA. His recent success isn’t merely a function of playing in Salt Lake now and Albuquerque a few weeks ago.
Blaine Crim’s streak of games with two triples ended at one.
AA: Frisco 6, at Corpus Christi (HOU) 2
Frisco: 6 hits, 8 walks, 6 strikeouts
Opponent: 4 hits, 4 walks, 13 strikeouts
Record: 23-28, 4 GB
SP Jack Leiter: 4 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 4 BB, 7 SO, 82 P / 51 S, 3.88 ERA
RP Michael Brewer: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO, 4.63 ERA
RP Alex Speas: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO, 0.89 ERA
RF Aaron Zavala: 1-2, 2B, 3 BB, .259/.423/.333
LF Dustin Harris: 1-3, 2B, BB, HBP, SB (22), .242/.385/.401
Jack Leiter was Jekyll and Hyde: a strikeout of the side in order in the 1st, three walks to the first four batters in the second. Even if he’d no-hit the Hooks for seven innings, I’d caution against the idea of him as a rotation replacement in Arlington. Leiter has taken a big step forward and hopefully put the worst of his issues behind him, but that doesn’t make him MLB-ready.
Hi-A: Hickory 5, at Rome (ATL) 1
Hickory: 11 hits, 2 walks, 8 strikeouts
Opponent: 4 hits, 3 walks, 13 strikeouts
Record: 19-29, 8 GB
SP Dane Acker: 4 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 SO, 49 P / 37 S, 2.00 ERA
RP Emiliano Teodo: 3.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 7 SO, 3.12 ERA
RF Alejandro Osuna: 1-3, 2B, HBP, .266/.400/.385
1B Abi Ortiz: 2-4, HR (5), .333/.395/.833
2B Frainyer Chavez: 3-4, 2B, .300/.429/.320
Dane Acker enjoyed his best outing of 2023, as did Emiliano Teodo despite the walks. A win under those conditions is assured.
Lo-A: Down East 3, at Delmarva (BAL) 2 (10)
Down East: 7 hits, 4 walks, 11 strikeouts
Opponent: 11 hits, 2 walks, 9 strikeouts
Record: 29-19, 0.5 GB
SP Jose Corniell: 5 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 5 SO, 77 P / 53 S, 2.89 ERA
RP Nick Lockhart: 3 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 SO, 0.00 ERA
RP Alberto Mota: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 7.94 ERA
RP Jacob Maton: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO, 4.50 ERA
CF Yeison Morrobel: 3-5, 2B, .274/.384/.315
3B Gleider Figuereo: 2-4, .222/.317/.340
LF Yosy Galan: 1-3, BB, SB (5), .229/.323/.429
Yeison Morrobel’s third hit of the night plated the go-ahead run in the 10th.
Jacob Maton struck out the side in the 10th after a single put the game-tying gift-runner on third.
Today’s Starters
AAA: Winn
AA: TBD
Hi-A: TBD
Lo-A: TBD
Five Years Ago Yesterday
Texas released Tim Lincecum. Low-A Hickory had three All-Stars: RHP Tyler Phillips, C Yohel Pozo and C Sam Huff.