exas placed RHP Jack Leiter on the Development List again to work on his mechanics. Obviously not good news, but necessary. I’d prefer some time out of the box scores to Hickory, although I suppose it’s possible he could pitch at a lower level as part of this process.
LHP John King is up from Round Rock, replacing IL’ed Josh Sborz (biceps tendinitis).
Box Scores
AAA: Round Rock 5, at Tacoma (SEA) 4
Round Rock: 11 hits, 6 walks, 10 strikeouts
Opponent: 8 hits, 5 walks, 8 strikeouts
Record: 9-4, 1 GB, 53-34 overall
SP Seth Nordlin: 4 IP, 3 H (1 HR), 2 R, 2 BB, 3 SO, 65 P / 37 S, 6.75 ERA
3B Justin Foscue: 2-4, HR (11), BB, .281/.403/.510
C Sam Huff: 1-4, HR (12), BB, .303/.393/.540
1B Blaine Crim: 4-4, HR (12), BB, .279/.395/.502
Blaine Crim’s homer was the softest off his bat, 91.8 MPH, a velocity that very rarely produces a four-bagger. The three other hits were at least 99. 45% of Crim’s balls in play are at least 95 MPH, best on the team. Were this July 2021, I’d be thinking about what he could do at first base in Arlington. Or at least thinking about thinking about it. But it’s not 2021.
Reliever Ryan Tepera had an opt-out and took it. The ex-Angel had pitched well for Round Rock — 8 IP, 3 H, 3 BB, 11 SO — with solid if odd underlying data. He generated a 21% swinging strike rate with his slider including 45% of swings, but the respective figures for the fastball/sinker were 2% and 5%. His pitch velocity was fine, his exit velocities were solid. He wasn’t especially strike-prone (59%). Good enough for a look in Arlington? Hard to say. I doubt he would have stood out, but he might have fit in. His addition would have required someone’s spot on the 40, but I think that could have been accomplished.
AA: Frisco 8, at Amarillo (ARI) 3
Frisco: 10 hits, 8 walks, 10 strikeouts
Opponent: 7 hits, 1 walk, 12 strikeouts
Record: 7-6, 2 GB, 38-43 overall
SP Ryan Garcia: 4 IP, 3 H (1 HR), 1 R, 1 BB, 5 SO, 70 P / 43 S, 6.75 ERA
RP Antoine Kelly: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 2.90 ERA
SS Luisangel Acuna: 1-4, 2B, BB, 2 SB (36), .314/.372/.448
CF Evan Carter: 1-4, BB, SB (11), .303/.412/.453
DH Trevor Hauver: 1-3, 2B, 2 BB, .249/.375/.415
RF Kellen Strahm: 2-4, 2B, 2 BB, .240/.346/.335
1B Josh Hatcher: 2-4, HR (3), BB, .340/.353/.553
Luisangel Acuna has only been caught stealing three times. He’s just over two weeks away from his one-year anniversary in AA and the same distance from the trade deadline.
Josh Hatcher was a 2022 pick, but AA is age-appropriate for him. He was a fifth-year senior sign for the princely sum of $1,000 out of Kenesaw State. I know minor leaguers receive more in-kind benefits than in the recent past, but I wish the last CBA had included a minimum bonus of at least $5,000 for any draft pick. Thousand-dollar bonuses don’t befit a huge industry like baseball, and the extra few grand might be really meaningful for some of these players.
Texas released IF Nick Tanielu. Catcher David Garcia is active.
Hi-A: Hickory 9, Greenville (BOS) 2
Hickory: 12 hits, 4 walks, 5 strikeouts
Opponent: 4 hits, 9 walks, 9 strikeouts
Record: 13-2, 2.5 G up, 40-36 overall
SP Mitch Bratt: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 2 SO, 29 P / 15 S, 3.83 ERA
RP Florencio Serrano: 3.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 SO, 3.51 ERA
RP Ricky DeVito: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO, 8.68 ERA
RP Robby Ahlstrom: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO, 3.90 ERA
SS Keyber Rodriguez: 2-5, 2 SB (20), .266/.327/.351
CF Daniel Mateo: 2-4, HR (6), .267/.280/.404
2B Jayce Easley: 1-3, BB, 2 SB (16), .203/.353/.244
Mitch Bratt hadn’t pitched in a real game in 12 days, and unfortunately, he barely pitched in this one, failing to compete an inning for the first time this season. Bratt has a dramatic home-road split. I never worry about stuff like that, but it has to be annoying to him and others. Florencio Serrano was able to strand two of three runners, and the bullpen held Greenville in check the rest of the way.
Lo-A: Down East 0, Charleston (TAM) 2
Down East: 4 hits, 1 walk, 10 strikeouts
Opponent: 7 hits, 3 walks, 10 strikeouts
Record: 9-7, 0.5 G up, 46-31 overall
SP Joseph Montalvo: 3 IP, 4 H (1 HR), 1 R, 1 BB, 6 SO, 58 P / 39 S, 1.91 ERA
RP Wyatt Sparks: 2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 SO, 1.31 ERA
RP Aidan Curry: 3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 SO, 2.59 ERA
The Woodies’ offense resumed its light-hitting course. Down East has a winning record in the second half despite 3.8 runs and 6.6 hits per game.
Texas promoted RHP Anthony Hoopii-Tuionetoa to Down East.
Today’s Starters
AAA: Lee
AA: Krauth
Hi-A: Corniell
Lo-A: TBD
Five Years Ago Yesterday
James Jones made a rehab appearance in Arizona. The Dodgers signed him over the winter but he appeared just once in AAA before falling off my map. A few days ago, he made a rehab appearance in Arizona.