TEXAS RANGERS NOTES:
WINS AND LOSSES: Texas dropped the series finale on Wednesday to St. Louis, 1-0, as club snapped a 5-G winning streak to end a 6-day, 6-G homestand vs. SEA (3-0) and STL (2-1)…team enjoyed an off day yesterday before beginning a quick 3-G road trip to TB tonight (3 G)…club has won 7 of 9, 11 of 14, 14 of 18, 19 of 26, and 22 of last 30 games…TEX is an MLB-best 26-10 (.722) in last 36 G beg. 4/28…most wins in any 36-G span for TEX since 5/25-7/2/16 (also 26-10)…it is just 7th season in TEX history w/ 26+ wins in a 36-G span (1977, 1978, 1979, 1990, 2011, 2016, 2023)…TEX is 32-15 in last 47 G and 36-17 in last 53 G beg. 4/9.
- At 40-21 (.656), TEX owns the 2nd-best record in MLB to only TB (46-19, .708)…club’s 40 wins rank 2nd in A.L. and MLB (46-TB).
- The 40-21 start is the Rangers’ best 61-G start to a season in WSH/TEX franchise history (see chart below), 2 G ahead of the next-best start (38-23, done in 1996).
- TEX is 19 G above .500 for the 2nd time this season (also 39-20, 6/5).
SERIES STUFF: After securing a series win vs. STL, Texas has now won a season-high 6 consecutive series, longest span for team since club-record 10 straight series victories from 5/20-6/20/16…TEX has also won 6-straight road series for the 1st time in franchise history…club is 8-2-0 in last 10 series on the road…team is now 11-1-1 in last 13 series and 14-2-1 in last 17…the Rangers are 15-4-1 overall in series
this year, going 7-2-1 at home and 8-2-0 on the road.
QUICK TRIP: TEX begins a 3-G trip to Tampa/St. Petersburg tonight…it marks the Rangers’ 3rd (and final) road trip of 3 G this season…club owns a 1-5 record in such trips (1-2 at CHC, 4/7-9; 0-3 at CIN, 4/24-26)…team has won 10 of 14 and 13 of 18 on the road after a season-long 4-G away losing skid…club is 19-12 (.613) on road, 3rd-most wins by a team on the road this season (21-BAL, 20-ATL)…2nd-best away win pct. in A.L., 3rd in MLB…last month, TEX tied the franchise record for road wins in a calendar month with 13 in May (also Aug. 2013, 13-3).
ONE VERSUS TWO: The Rangers and Rays enter tonight’s series opener at Tropicana Field with the two best records in MLB…according to Elias Sports Bureau, this marks the latest into a season in Rangers history for the club to be involved in a matchup with the top two records in MLB entering play.
BEST RECORDS IN MLB, 2023
Win Pct. Team W-L
.708 Tampa Bay 46-19
.656 Texas 40-21
.613 Atlanta/Baltimore 38-24
ITS GETTING HOT IN HERE: The Rangers are in the middle of a span of playing 16-straight games in Texas or Florida from 6/2-18…Rangers have a 5-1 record over this period, which began with a 6-G homestand in Arlington earlier this month: 6/2-4 vs. SEA (3-0), 6/5-7 vs. STL (2-1), 6/9-11 at TB (3 G), 6/12-15 vs. LAA (4 G), 6/16-18 vs. TOR (3 G).
VS. TAMPA BAY: Texas plays 2 series of 3 G against Tampa Bay this season (6/9-11 + 7/17-19 at TEX)…the Rangers went 3-4 against the Rays last season, losing 2 of 3 at the Trop…TEX has won 7 of 13 and 9 of last 16 vs. TB, this after a span in which TEX dropped 8 of 10 from 4/16/18-9/10/19… series is 22-23 since beg. of 2015.
- Club has won 4 of 6, 9 of 16, and 11 of last 20 G at Tropicana Field, beg. 5/10/15 (this record does not include a 3-G series vs. HOU at Tropicana Field from 8/29-31/17 due to Hurricane Harvey)…the Rangers also clinched the 2010 and 2011 ALDS against the Rays at Tropicana Field.
- TEX leads all-time series between the two clubs, 105-94, but is 46-51 as the visiting team.
BLANKED: Texas was shut out for the 5th time this season on Wed. vs. STL (last 5/15 vs. ATL, 0-12)…3 of TEX’s 5 shutout losses in ’23 have come vs. National League opponents (also 4/7 at CHC, 0-2)…it also marked the first time ever being shut out by STL…TEX is currently T5th-most in A.L. for times being shut out this season.
GRAY(T) OUTING, TOUGH RESULT: Jon Gray took his 2nd loss of ’23 on Wed. vs. STL, despite tossing his 2nd career complete game (also 9/17/16 vs. SD)…he became the 1st TEX pitcher to throw a complete game and lose since Cliff Lee on 7/10/10 vs. BAL (L, 1-6)…the tough-luck loss snapped his career-high 5-start winning streak (beg. 5/8)… has still posted a 5-1 record, 0.84 ERA (4 ER/43.0 IP) over his last 6 starts…his 2.32 season ERA ranks 5th in A.L./6th in MLB.
- Gray and Nathan Eovaldi (4) are the only TEX starters with multiple outings of 8.0+ IP and 1-or-fewer R…TEX is the only club with multiple pitchers to do so in ’23.
STARTERS W/ 9.0 IP, 1R-ER, 0 BB, 10+ SO AND EARN A LOSING DECISION (since 1971)
per Baseball Reference
Date Player Team/Opponent
6/7/23 Jon Gray TEX vs. STL
8/23/17 Rich Hill LAD at PIT
10/2/12 James Shields TB vs. BAL
8/24/71 Vida Blue OAK vs. NYY
WHAT A DIFFERENCE: Even with Wednesday’s loss, the Rangers still have a season-best +154 run differential, easily highest in MLB (2nd: TB, +135; 3rd: ATL, +70)…the only other time in Rangers history the the club had a run differential as high as +154 came in late Sept. 2011, as season-ending +178 run diff. in 2011 is highest figure at any point in any season in TEX history.
- The Rangers’ +154 run differential ranks 7th all-time for R/D in 1st 61 G of a season (since 1901)…all 6 teams ahead of the Rangers played in the World Series that campaign, with 4 winning the title.
SCORING MAKES: TEX has scored an MLB-high 386 R this season…the 386 R are 2nd-most through 1st 61 G of a season in WSH/TEX history (387-1998), and the most since 2001 (COL-388)…club owns an MLB-leading 16 G with 10+ R this season, and MLB-high 5 G w/ 15+ R are tied for most in franchise history (also 1998)…team owns a .315 BA (102- 324) during their last 9 G to rise from .270 to .277, 1st in MLB.
HEANEY AT THE BUMP: Andrew Heaney has gone 4-2 with a 3.09 ERA (19 ER/55.1 IP), 58 SO/23 BB, and a .206 opp. BA (41-199) in his last 10 starts…that stretch has cut his season ERA from a season-high 23.63 to 4.03…he ranks among A.L. pitchers over that period (min. 50.0 IP since 4/10) in opp. BA (13th), H/9 (13th, 6.67), ERA (16th)…over his last 4 starts, he is unbeaten (2-0) with a 2.05 ERA (5 ER/22.0 IP).
LOWE REUNION: Nathaniel Lowe began his pro career in Tampa Bay organization (2016-20)…his brother Josh is on current Rays roster…they are scheduled to hold a family media availability during pregame today by the Rays’ dugout.
TONIGHT’S STARTING PITCHER – #44 Andrew Heaney, LHP
(4-3, 4.03)
TONIGHT: The left-hander, who turned 32 on Monday, is scheduled to make his 13th appearance/start of the season in tonight’s series opener at The Trop… took ND in last start on Sat. vs. SEA (ND, 3.0 IP, 3 R-ER), outing which raised season ERA from 3.76 to 4.03…matched season high with 4 BB…had allowed just 2 ER over his previous 3 starts…Heaney is still 4-2, 3.09 (19 ER/55.1 IP) over his last 10 starts beg. 4/10…has posted quality starts in 4 of 5 and 6 of his last 8 outings, as his 6 QS this season rank 3rd among TEX pitchers (8-Eovaldi, 7-Gray, 6-Heane)…Heaney is in his first season with Texas after signing a two-year free agent contract with the club on 12/9/22…is seeking to build on a 2022
campaign in which he produced career bests in ERA (3.10), WHIP (1.087), and strikeout rate (13.6 SO/9) with the Los Angeles Dodgers despite being limited by a pair of Injured List stints…the 9-year MLB veteran has appeared in 144 games/133 starts with Miami (2014), Los Angeles-AL (2015-21), New York-AL (2021), Los Angeles-NL (2022), and Texas (2023)…an Oklahoma City native, Heaney pitched collegiately at Oklahoma State University before being selected by the Miami Marlins in the first round (9th overall) of the 2012 MLB Draft…Texas has gone 6-4 in Heaney’s 10 starts this season, winning 3 straight.
AS OF LATE: After surrendering season-high 7 R-ER in his Rangers debut on 4/4 vs. BAL (L, 2.2 IP, 7 R-ER), Heaney has gone 4-2 with a 3.09 ERA (19 ER/55.1 IP), 58 SO/23 BB, and a .206 opp. BA (41-199) in his last 10 starts… that stretch has cut his season ERA from a season-high 23.63 to 4.03…he ranks among A.L. pitchers over that period (min. 50.0 IP since 4/10) in opp. BA (13th), H/9 (13th, 6.67), ERA (16th)…over his last 4 starts, he is unbeaten (2-0) with a 2.05 ERA (5 ER/22.0 IP) and 22 SO/9 BB.
TOUGH ON LEFT: Left-handed batters have slashed .118/.286/.147/.433 (4-34) with just one extra-base hit (2B) against Heaney in 2023…his .097 opp. BA allowed vs. lefties is the 15th-lowest mark in MLB (min. 30 LHB faced) and 6th-lowest among starting pitchers…Heaney has held LHB to a .189/.300/.284/.584 (18- 95) slash line and just one HR (Jake Cronenworth on 9/11/22 at SD w/ LAD) over the last 2 seasons (beg. 2022).
LAST START: Will pitch on extra 5 days’ rest after taking ND in last start on Sat. vs. SEA (ND, 3.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R-ER, 4 BB, 5 SO, 0 HR, 78 pitches/44 strikes)… matched season high with 4 BB in his 2nd-shortest start of the year (2.2 IP in TEX debut on 4/4 vs. BAL)…did not retire any of 4 BF in the 4th inning and was forced from the game despite Texas holding a 6-2 lead at that point…Rangers would win 16-6, part of club’s overwhelming 3-G sweep of the M’s.
VS. TAMPA BAY: Heaney is 0-3, 3.67 (11 ER/27.0 IP) over 5 G/GS in his career vs. Rays, including 0-1, 4.09 (5 ER/11.0 IP) in 2 G/GS over his career at Tropicana Field…has faced Rays just once since 2020, taking ND w/ LAA despite scoreless effort on 5/6/21 at The Big A: 6.2 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 10 SO, 110 pitches/69 strikes…Heaney exited that game with a 3-0 lead, but Rays scored once in 7th after his exit and had a 7-R 8th inning on the Halos bullpen in 8-3 victory in Anaheim…Angels lost each of his 2 outings here at The Trop: 8/2/18 (L, 6.0 IP, 6 H, 4 R-ER) and 6/14/19 (ND, 5.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R-ER).
ON THE ROAD: Heaney has seen far better results in 4 starts on the road (1-1, 1.82 ERA) than in his 7 starts in Arlington (3-2, 5.67 ERA) this season…earned his 1st road win w/ TEX in last away start on 5/27 at BAL (7.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R-ER)… opposing hitters have slashed .167/.255/.274/.529 (14-84) with just 2 HR in his away outings vs. .262/.358/.477/.835 (34-130) with 7 HR at Globe Life Field in 2023…since the start of last season, he is 3-2, 2.15 ERA (14 ER/58.2 IP) over his last 12 appearances/11 starts on the road.
STREAKING STRIKEOUTS: Earned the win in his 2nd start as a Ranger on 4/10 vs. KC, recording strikeouts of 9 consecutive batters faced from the 1st through 4th innings…the 9 straight K’s marked the most successive strikeouts by a pitcher in Rangers history, snapping the single-game record of 7 set by Nolan Ryan on 7/7/91 vs. LAA and the overall high of 8 done by Joe Barlow from 7/24-8/2/21… according to Elias Sports Bureau, it matched the American League record for successive strikeouts, as Heaney became just the 3rd A.L. pitcher to do it…the others: DET’s Tyler Alexander on 8/2/20 vs. CIN-G1, and DET’s Doug Fister on 9/27/12 vs. KC…Heaney recorded 10 total SO on the night, the 18th double-digit strikeout game of his career (last 10 on 8/24/22 vs. MIL w/ LAD) and 2nd by a Texas pitcher at that point in 2023 (also 11 by Jacob deGrom on 4/5 vs. BAL)… the last left-handed Rangers pitcher with 10+ SO in a single game was Mike Minor on 8/11/19 at MIL (11 SO)…it also marked the 6th instance in club history (beg. 1972) for a pitcher to punch out 10-or-more batters in 5.0-or-fewer innings, last Dane Dunning on 5/9/21 vs. SEA (5.0 IP, 10 SO).
2023: Opponents are batting .224 (48-214) w/ 9 HR, including a .118 (4-34) mark with one XBH (2B) for LH batters…16 of 29 runs allowed in ‘23 have come in the 2nd (9) or 3rd (7) inning…opp. BA/OPS by time through lineup: 1st (.293/.819), 2nd (.182/.618), 3rd (.182/.705)…4.07 pitches per batter faced figure is 9th-highest in A.L. (min. 50.0 IP)…9 HR allowed are T2nd-most among Rangers (10-Pérez, 9-Heaney/Gray)…Jonah Heim has caught 8 starts (2.01 ERA), Sandy León has caught 2 starts (7.59 ERA), and Mitch Garver caught season debut on 4/4 vs. BAL (2.2 IP, 7 R-ER)…Heaney has a 2.01 ERA (10 ER/44.2 IP) and 2 HR allowed when working with Heim this season, 10.99 ERA (16 ER/13.1 IP) w/ 7 HR allowed with all other TEX catchers…earned 1st road win of season on 5/27 at BAL (W, 7.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R-ER), posting 1st ultra-quality start of the season… Held O’s scoreless over 1st 6 frames.
TAMPA BAY RAYS NOTES:
BRING OUT THE BROOMS — The Rays won their sixth straight game and earned their seventh series sweep yesterday, defeating the Twins, 4-2…RHP Yonny Chirinos improved to 3-1 after tossing a season-high 5.2 innings, allowing one run on five hits with no walks and four strikeouts…1B Luke Raley (1-for-3, 3B, RBI, R) recorded his second triple in three days while DH Harold Ramírez (1-for-3, HR, 2RBI) hit a two-run homer in the fourth inning, pushing his season total to 9 HR…SS Wander Franco (0-for4, R, SB) had his season-best 11-game hitting streak come to an end, but stole his 22nd base of the year, good for third most in the majors behind OAK Esteury Ruiz (29) and ATL Ronald Acuña Jr. (28).
During the three-game sweep of Minnesota, Rays pitchers posted a 1.00 ERA (27.0IP, 3ER) with 28 strikeouts against three walks while holding Twins batters to a .140 average (13-for-93).
It marked the 12th time in franchise history the Rays allowed three or fewer runs in a three-game series and the second time accomplishing the feat this season (3R allowed vs. DET from 3/30-4/2).
SIX AND COUNTING — The Rays six-game winning streak is tied for the longest active run in the majors with Miami…it marks their longest winning streak since 4/18-24 (6G)… during the streak, Tampa Bay is outscoring opponents, 27-8 (+19), while the pitching staff has turned in a 1.17 ERA (54.0IP, 7ER) and held the opposition to a .160 average (30-for187)…the Rays are the only MLB club with three winning streaks of 6+ games (also 13G – 3/30-4/13; 6G – 4/18-24); two other teams have two such streaks (LAD and PIT).
RANDY LAND — Randy Arozarena has reached base safely in 25 consecutive home games dating back to 4/12, slashing .291/.431/.582 (23-for-79) with three doubles, one triple, 6 HR and 19 RBI…it is the longest active home on-base streak in the AL and trails only COL Jurickson Profar (27G) for the MLB lead.
FAMILIAR FOE — Yandy Díaz has hit safely in five straight games against the Rangers and is a career .392 (29-for-74) hitter with five doubles, one triple, one HR, 7 RBI and nine walks against 10 strikeouts in 21 games vs. Texas…min 75 PA, his .392 AVG is the highest among all active players vs. Texas, outpacing NYM Starling Marte (.391) and DET Miguel Cabrera (.382).
HISTORY AT HOME — Tampa Bay’s 29-6 record at Tropicana Field marks MLB’s best start at home since the 1998 New York Yankees (also 29-6)…the Rays are one of seven teams since 1901 to win at least 29 of their first 35 home games in a season…have won seven of eight, 11 of 14, and 15 of their last 19 home games overall.
The Rays are 11-0 in series openers at home, the longest such winning streak to open a season since the 2013 Detroit Tigers (13-0), according to Elias…the club is 16-4 overall in series openers this season.
Tampa Bay hitters rank among MLB leaders at home in several categories, including stolen bases (1st, 44), total bases (1st, 547), homers (T1st, 58), extra-base hits (T1st, 131), SLG (2nd, .488), runs per game (2nd, 5.80) and OPS (3rd, .828).
SOUTHPAW SUCCESS — The Rays are 9-3 (.750) when facing left-handed starting pitchers this season, the best winning pct. in MLB ahead of Houston (11-5, .688)…Tampa Bay ranks among MLB leaders against left-handed pitching in SLG (.1st, 560), OPS (1st, .922), AVG (2nd, .302), OBP (3rd, 363) and HR (4th, 26).
EARNING OUR STRIPES — The Rays have gone 17-12 (.586) against teams that currently have a record of .500 or better, the best mark in the majors, ahead of Texas (14-10, .583).
According to Elias, tonight marks the first time since 9/14/10 vs. New York-AL that Tampa Bay has the best record in the majors and its opponent holds the second-best mark in the league…entering play on 9/4/10, the Rays were 87-56 (.608) and the Yankees were 87-57 (.604).
PITCHING PROWESS — Rays starters have recorded a 1.79 ERA (50.1IP, 10ER) over the club’s last 10 games, the best mark in MLB during that span (since 5/29), ahead of San Diego (1.94)…this season, Tampa Bay’s rotation paces the majors in ERA (2.94), opp. average (.223), opp. OBP (280), opp. SLG (.361) and opp. OPS (.641).
Tampa Bay’s bullpen has registered a 0.77 ERA (23.1IP, 2ER) over its last six games, limiting opposing hitters to a .080 average (6-for-75) and a .383 OPS in that span.
BAG BANDITS — The Rays have stolen 31 consecutive bases without being caught dating back to 5/22, the longest streak in club history…they had achieved the previous mark of 21 straight steals on two separate occasions (6/3-27, 2007 & 7/1-23, 2010)…according to Elias, the last major league club to steal 31 straight bases was Cleveland (36SB) from 8/11-9/17, 2021…the Rays have been successful on 45 of their last 47 stolen base attempts (95.7%) overall since 5/14 after opening the season 38-for-52 (73.1%).
Tampa Bay’s 83 stolen bases are the most by any major league club through 65 games since the 2009 Rays (105SB).
FAMILIAR FACES — Wander Franco is batting .324 (56-for-173) with 18 doubles, two triples, 4 HR, 23 RBI, 31 runs scored, 17 walks and 11 steals in his last 45 games at Tropicana Field dating back to 9/16/22.
Among players with 150 PA at home since 9/16/22, Franco ranks among MLB leaders in extra-base hits (1st, 24), doubles (1st), hits (2nd), times on base (T2nd, 74) triples (T4th) and runs scored (T6th) in that span.
He has hit safely in each of his four career matchups with Texas, including three at Tropicana Field, going 6-for-13 (.462) with 3 RBI and two walks.
THE BAY BOMBERS — The Rays have hit a major league-best 108 home runs, tied for the eighth-most long balls through a club’s first 65 games in MLB history (since 1901)…they reached 100 homers in their 54th game of the season, becoming the fifth-fastest team to reach the milestone in MLB history (since 1901).
The Rays have 32 multi-HR games, tied with New York-AL for the most such games in MLB they are 27-5 in those contests…this includes 16 games with 3+ homers, most in the AL and trailing only Los Angeles-NL (19G) in all of MLB.
Tampa Bay has an MLB-best eight players with 9+ HR, led by Randy Arozarena and Yandy Díaz with 12HR apiece…the next closest team is Los-Angeles NL with seven players…there are currently eight teams in MLB that have only one player with 9+ HR (BOS, CLE, COL, MIA, OAK, PHI, PIT, SH).
TEXAS TWO-STEP — Tampa Bay and Texas kick off game one of a three-game weekend series and the first of six matchups between the two clubs this season…the Rays went 4-3 against the Rangers last season, including a 2-1 mark at Tropicana Field.
TONIGHT’S STARTER: RHP TYLER GLASNOW (0-0, 3.72)
ALL G(L)AS NO BRAKES — The right-hander makes his third start of the season in tonight’s series opener, including his second at home…made two regular season starts in 2022 after recovering from Tommy John surgery before earning the starting nod in Game 2 of the AL Wild Card Series at Cleveland…suffered a left oblique strain during a Spring Training practice on 2/27 and was placed on the 15-day injured list on 3/29 (retro 3/27) before being reinstated on 5/27.
LAST TIME OUT — Made his first road start of the season in the nightcap of Tampa Bay’s 6/3 doubleheader at Boston, yielding one run over 5.1 frames in a 4-2 Rays win (5.1IP, 4H, 1ER, 3BB, 6SO)…marked his longest start by both innings and pitches (88) since 6/8/21 at Washington (7.0IP, 114 pitches).
NO RANGER DANGER — Glasnow has not allowed a run across his two previous starts opposite Texas, going 2-0 while totaling 13.2 scoreless frames and holding Rangers hitters to a .091/.167/.091 (4-for-44) clip… has turned in a 0.44 WHIP with 20 strikeouts and three walks in those outings…he joins NYM Brooks Raley (13.2IP) as the only active pitchers with 10.0+ career innings vs. Texas who have not allowed a run.
In his most recent start against the Rangers on 4/12/21 at Tropicana Field, Glasnow tallied a career-high 14 strikeouts to power the Rays 1-0 shutout win (7.2IP, 2H, 0R, BB, 14SO).
He is 5-1 with a 1.66 ERA (43.1IP, 8ER) and a .169 opp. average (25-for148) in eight career starts against AL West clubs, including 3-0 with
a 0.79 ERA (22.2IP, 2ER) in four home starts opposite the division… marks the thrid-lowest career ERA against the AL West by any active pitcher (min. 40.0IP), trailing only BAL Kyle Bradish (1.09) and CLE Trevor Stephan (1.27).
CAN’T TOUCH THIS — Since making his season debut on 5/27, Glasnow’s 37.7 pct. whiff rate is the second-highest mark in the majors, trailing only CLE Triston McKenzie (40.5%) in that span (min. 25 pitches swung at)… during the same span, his 33.3 pct. strikeout rate is tied for sixth highest in the AL (min. 35BF).
TROP TRIUMPHS — Glasnow is 3-1 with a 2.06 ERA (48.0IP, 11ER) in his last seven starts at Tropicana Field dating back to 4/12/21 vs. Texas…he has recorded 8+ strikeouts in each of those outings, including six double-digit-strikeout efforts…it ties Chris Archer (7GS, 4/8-6/11, 2017) for the longest streak of consecutive home starts with 8+ strikeouts in Rays history.
