MIAMI MARLINS NOTES:
No team release available.
TEXAS RANGERS NOTES:
WINS AND LOSSES: Texas took the series opener from the Marlins last night, 6-2, as club now has a 4-0 record on this 6-game homestand vs. CWS (3-0) and MIA (1-0 + 2 G)… TEX has won 4 straight after a 3-G losing streak, and has still lost 5 of 10 and 7 of 13 since a season-high 6-G win streak (7/14-19) out of the break, club’s longest since going 6-0, 6/22-28/19…team is 12-7 (.632) to start the 2nd “half”, 3rd-best in the A.L…TEX is 13-9 in last 22, 14-13 in last 27 G, and 15-15 in last 30 G…team is 24-26 (.480) beg. 6/7, a stretch which came after club reached season high point at 20-over on 6/6 (40-20)…team’s 50-35 (.588) record since 4/28 is still 2nd-best in A.L. and T4th-best in MLB over that span (ATL: .654, 53-28; LAD: .610, 50-32; BAL: .600, 51-34; SF: .588, 50-35)…TEX is 54-40 in last 94 G and 59-42 last 101 G (beg. 4/9).
- At 64-46 (.582), TEX owns the 3rd-best record in the A.L. and 5th-best in MLB (ATL: .654, 70-37; BAL: .618, 68-42; TB: .598, 67-45; LAD: .583, 63-45)…64 wins rank 3rd in A.L. and 4th-most in MLB (70-ATL, 68-BAL, 67-TB, 64-TEX).
- The 64-46 mark is the T3rd-best 110-G start to a season in Washington/Texas franchise history (see chart below).
WITH A WIN TODAY Texas would:
- Reach a 5 game winning streak for the 3rd time this season (also 6/2-6 and 7/14-19).
- Match best 59-G start at home in franchise history (39-20 on 2004 and 2016).
- Match 2nd-best start in franchise history (65-46 in 2012).
STANDINGS: Texas owns a 1.5-game lead in A.L. West over 2nd-place HOU for the 2nd consecutive day…TEX lost 3.0 G on the lead in a stretch of 12 G from 7/19-8/2 (4.5 GA)…held \leads of 2.0+ G in the division for 63 consecutive days from 5/23-7/24…TEX was 4.5 GA on 7/18-19, which was largest advantage since 7/1 (5.0 GA)…season-best 6.5-G lead in West after win 6/23 at NYY, which was largest division lead since winning the West by 9.0 G in 2016…TEX has had sole possession of 1st place for 90 straight, 97 of 98, and 110 of the last 112 days beg. 4/14.
- TEX has been alone or tied atop the division for 126 of the season’s first 127 days (exception: 4/8).
SERIES STUFF: TEX improved to 10-9 in series openers at home in ’23 with yesterday’s win (20-16 overall)…this week’s series sweep vs. CWS (3-0) snapped span of 3 straight series losses, which matched longest drought in ’23 (0-3-0 to finish 1st ‘half’)…was also TEX’s 7th time to win all games of a series in 2023, 1st since 7/17-19 vs. TB (3-0)…club is now 3-3-0 in series since break…club is now 3-6-0 in last 9 series and 3-7-1 in last 11 series…TEX is 5-9-1 in last 15 series following a season-best 6-0-0 span from 5/19-6/7… is 20-13-2 overall in series this year, going 11-5-2 at home and 9-8-0 on the road…team is 16-10-2 in last 28 series and 19-11-2 in last 32.
AT HOME: TEX is 38-20 (.655) at home, 2nd-best in MLB: TB (.661, 37-19)…the record is tied for TEX’s best 58-G start at home in team history (38-20 in 2004 and 2016)…club has won 5 straight and 11 of last 13 G at home and owns a 16-7 mark in Arlington beg. 6/17…has won 19 of 31, 24 of 36, 28 of 43, and 33 of last 51 at GLF (beg. 4/11)…TEX owns a 124-126 all-time record at GLF (2020-23), 44-27 last 71 G beg. 9/11/22.
VS. MIAMI: The 3-G series marks the only scheduled meeting between the Rangers and Marlins in 2023…it also Miami’s first ever visit of Globe Life Field (regular or postseason)… only 5 teams remain who have never played an official game at this facility (also CHC/CIN/MIL/PIT/NYM)…Texas went 2-1 vs. Marlins last year in Miami, all games that were rescheduled as a result of the season being pushed back…prior to last year, clubs had not met since 2017, which was the last Fish visit to Arlington (TEX lost 2 of 3)…TEX is 15-11 all-time vs. MIA, but is 5-7 at home.
THE GUMBY (DEBUT) SHOW: Jordan Mongomery made his Rangers debut last night and earned his 1st win w/ TEX, tossing 6.0 IP and allowing 2 R-ER on 6 H, 1 BB, 1 HR…it
marked Montgomery’s 13th quality start of the season, tied for 11th-most in the Majors and 4 QS shy of tying for the ML lead…after Montgomery’s start last night and Max Scherzer’s QS on Thurs. vs. CWS, they became the only TEX pitchers to register quality starts in their 1st outing with the team in the last 4 seasons…Montgomery is the first lefty to do so since Brock Burke turned the trick on 8/20/19.
HOME COOKING: Texas pitchers have combined to total a 4-0 record, 1.50 ERA (6 ER/36.0 IP), 4 BB, 52 SO, 2 HR allowed and a .178 batting average (23-129) during the 1st 4 G of this 6 G homestand…it marks the first 4-game span in MLB’s Modern Era (beg. 1901) in which a team’s pitching staff has allowed 23-or-fewer hits, 6-or- fewer runs, 4-or-fewer walks, and 52+ strikeouts (Stathead)…it is also just the fourth 4-G span in MLB history for a club’s staff to post 52+ SO and 4-or-fewer BB: TEX from 8/1-4/23 (52 SO/4 BB), NYM from 9/16-19/22 (52 SO/4 BB), CLE from 9/26- 29/17 (52 SO/3 BB), and CLE from 5/30-6/2/17 (52 SO/4 BB).
- The 52 strikeouts over current the club’s 4-0 stretch are the most in any 4-G span in WSH/TEX franchise history.
- TEX pitching staff has 10-or-more strikeouts in 4 straight games, T2nd-longest such streak in WSH/TEX franchise history (6 G, 8/24-30/20).
DOUBLE DOSE OF BOMBI: Adolis García launched a pair of solo home runs last night (his 27th and 28th of the season), recording his 7th-career multi homer game (3rd this season, last on 5/17 vs. ATL…his 28 HR in ’23 rank 3rd in the A.L./6th in MLB, while his 88 RBI lead the A.L. and rank 2nd in MLB (92- ATL’s Matt Olson)…García’s 28 HR through 110 games in ’23 mark the most by a Ranger since Joey Gallo had 29 HR in 2017..
- The 3rd inning HR also marked García’s 400th career hit in the Majors, while Garcia’s 176 extra base hits since 2021 rank T7th in the A.L. during that stretch.
- García is slashing .333/.405/.727/1.333 (11-33) with 4 HR and 8 RBI during a season high 9 G hitting streak.
WHO ELSE BUT SEAGS?: Corey Seager launched a 1st inning homer last night, his 17th of the season…it marks the 2nd time in the last 3 G that Seager has recorded a 1st inning HR…it was also Seager’s 50th career HR as a Texas Ranger, becoming 1 of only 6 players in club history to reach 50-ormore HR through their 220th game with TEX…Seager has launched 4 HR in his last 6 G/24 PA (dating back to 7/18), batting .304/.333/.870/1.203 during that stretch.
FINALLY, A GRAY DAY: Jon Gray is set to make his 20th start of the season today on 11 days’ rest, last pitching on 7/24 at HOU…Gray has gone 5-4, 3.36 ERA (29 ER/77.2 IP) over his last 12 starts (beg. 5/8) to lower his season ERA from 4.40 to 3.66, which would rank 13th in the A.L. if he qualified…Gray is 1-0 with a 0.93 ERA (1 ER/9.2 IP) in his last 2 starts against the Marlins.
SHORTS: Mitch Garver went 2-for-3 yesterday, extending his hitting streak to a season high 6 G (.381, 8-21) and reaching base for a 10th consecutive game…TEX bullpen has held opp. scoreless in 5 of last 6 G, tossing 10.1 SHO IP, 15 SO/0 BB, and .139 opp. BA (5-36) over current 4-0 span.
TODAY’S STARTING PITCHER – #22 Jon Gray, RHP (6-5, 3.66)
TODAY: The 31-year-old right-hander is set to make his 20th start of the season today in game 2 of 3 vs. Miami…will be his 1st outing in 11 days, as he last pitched in start on 7/24 at HOU (see below)…exited early from start on 7/19 vs. TB (ND, 4.1 SHO IP) after being struck on left leg by comebacker in 5th inn. (Yandy Díaz)…Gray is winless (0-4) with a 5.36 ERA (26 ER/43.2 IP) over his last 8 starts to spike his season ERA from 2.32 to 3.66, which would still rank 13th in A.L. if he qualified…despite the recent struggles, he has still gone 5-4, 3.36 ERA (29 ER/77.2 IP) over his last 12 starts (beg. 5/8) to lower his season ERA from 4.40…this is Gray’s 2nd season with Texas after signing a 4-year free agent contract with the club on 12/1/21…was hindered by several injuries last season, but
still managed to post a 7-7 record, 3.96 ERA (56 ER/127.1 IP), and 134 strikeouts over 24 starts…prior to joining Texas, the right-hander had spent his entire pro
career with Colorado, ranking 3rd in Rockies history with 849 strikeouts while also placing among the all-time team leaders with 151 starts, 829.1 innings, and
53 wins from 2015-21…was 3rd overall selection by Colorado in 2013 MLB Draft after pitching 2 seasons at the U. of Oklahoma…is a native of the Oklahoma City area, growing up in Chandler…TEX is 10-9 in his 19 starts in 2023.
LAST START: Did not factor into the decision despite allowing season high-tying 6 R-ER (also 6 R-ER on 6/18 vs. TOR) in Texas’ walk-off 10-9 defeat on 7/24 at HOU (ND, 5.0 IP, 7 H, 6 R-ER, 3 BB, 6 SO, 82 pitches/51 strikes)…was staked \to 2-0 lead after Josh Jung connected for a 2-run HR in the opening frame, but surrendered 4 runs on 3 hits and 2 walks in the bottom of the 1st…exited after the 5th with the game tied 6-6…both clubs played 3 runs in the 7th, but Astros went on to win on Yainer Diaz’s game-ending RBI single in the 9th (off Alex Speas).
VS. MIAMI / INTERLEAGUE: Is 4-3, 3.59 (21 ER/52.2 IP) in 9 G/GS in his career against the Marlins, including 3-1, 4.38 (12 ER/24.2 IP) in 4 G/GS against them at home (all at Coors Field)…it will mark Gray’s first time facing the Marlins at Globe Life Field…he went 1-0, 0.93 ERA (1 ER/9.2 IP) in 2 outings against the Marlins in 2022 (all at loanDepot Park).
- In 5 Interleague starts this season, Gray is 2-1 with a 3.19 ERA (11 ER/31.0 IP), lasting at least 5.0 IP in all 5 starts.
AT HOME: Has seen far better results in 8 starts on the road (4-2, 3.14 ERA) than in 10 starts at home (2-3, 4.13 ERA) this season…has allowed 15 R-ER over his
last 4 starts (18.2 IP) at Globe Life Field to spike his home ERA from 2.84…opponents are batting .264/.336/.418/.754 (55-208) with 9 HR vs. Gray in Arlington vs.
.223/.291/.337/.628 (41-184) with 4 HR in his away outings this season.
