LOS ANGELES DODGERS NOTES:
TONIGHT’S STARTER at RANGERS: RHP EMMET SHEEHAN (3-0, 4.91 ERA in 5 GS)
2023 SEASON NOTES:
- New York native notched his third big league win on July 17 against the Orioles, tossing five innings and giving up five hits, four runs, a homer and three walks while striking out two
- Became the first starting pitcher since at least 1967 to fire 8.0 consecutive hitless innings to begin his Major League career according to Elias ( Billy Rohr; April 14, 1967)
- Made his Major League debut versus the Giants on June 16, spinning six no-hit innings, only giving up two walks while striking out three in the no decision… joins Ross Stripling as the only Dodger pitchers to pitch at least six no-hit innings in their MLB debut (April 8, 2016)
- Owns a 4-1 record across 12 games (10 starts) with Double-A Tulsa with a 1.86 ERA (11 ER/53.1 IP) with 88 strikeouts and 23 walks…has limited the opposition to a .131/.246/.235 slashline
- He led the Texas League in ERA, strikeouts, batting average against (.131) and WHIP (0.88)
VS. RANGERS:
- Will face Texas for the first time in his career
TEXAS RANGERS NOTES:
WINS AND LOSSES: Texas lost to the Dodgers yesterday, 16-3, as club owns a 6-2 record entering the finale of this 9-G, 10-day homestand against CLE (3-0), TB (3-0) and LAD (0-2 + today)…TEX has dropped 2 straight after a season-high 6-G win streak (7/14-19) that was club’s longest since going 6-0, 6/22-28/19…team’s 6-2 (.750) start to 2nd “half” is T2ndbest record in MLB to MIN (7-2, .778), as TEX/LAD/MIL are all 6-2…the 2 losses are T-fewest in MLB since the break… TEX is 7-4 in last 11, 8-8 in last 16 G, and 9-10 in last 19 G… team is 18-21 (.462) beg. 6/7, a stretch which came after club reached season high point at 20-over on 6/6 (40-20)… team’s 44-30 (.595) record since 4/28 is still best in A.L. and 3rd-best in MLB over that span (46-25, .648-ATL and 44-27, .620-LAD)…TEX is 48-35 in last 83 G and 53-37 last 90 G (beg. 4/9).
- At 58-41 (.586), TEX owns the 3rd-best record in the A.L. and 5th-best in MLB (ATL: .649, 63-34; BAL: .612, 60-38; TB: .598, 61-41)…58 wins rank 3rd in A.L. and 4th-most in MLB (63-ATL, 61-TB, 60-BAL, 58-TEX).
- The 58-41 mark matches the 2nd-best 99-G start to a season in Washington/Texas franchise history (see chart below).
STANDINGS: TEX owns a 3.0-game lead in A.L. West over 2nd-place HOU, losing 1.5 G over the last 3 days…TEX was 4.5 GA on Tues.-Wed., which was largest advantage since 7/1 (5.0 GA)…current division lead is still the largest in A.L. and 3rd in MLB (ATL is 11.5 GA of MIA/PHI and LAD is 4.0 GA of ARI/SF)…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 in the West for 78 straight, 85 of 86, and 98 of the last 100 days beg. 4/14.
- TEX has been alone or tied atop the division for 114 of the season’s first 115 days (exception: 4/8).
SERIES STUFF: Texas has secured a series loss vs. LAD and will attempt to avoid a winless series today (see info in right-hand column)…this series loss follows back-to-back sweeps to open 2nd “half”, but club is 2-4-0 in last 6 series and 2-5-1 in last 8 series.
- TEX is 4-7-1 in last 12 series following a stretch of 6 straight series victories from 5/19-6/7, longest span for team since club-record 10 straight series victories from 5/20-6/20/16…is 19-11-2 overall in series this year, going 10-5-2 at home and 9-6-0 on the road…is 15-8-2 in last 25 series and 18-9-2 in last 28…TEX has gone 9-4-2 in last 15 series at GLF.
AT HOME: TEX is 33-20 (.623) at home, 4th-best home record in MLB: TB (.679, 36-17), LAD (.644, 29-16), ATL (.627, 32-19)…marks TEX’s best 53-G start at home since 2016 (35-18)…club has won 6 of last 8 G at home and owns an 11-7 mark in Arlington beg. 6/17…has won 14 of 26, 19 of 31, 23 of 38, and 28 of last 46 at GLF (beg. 4/11)…TEX owns a 119-126 all-time record at GLF (2020-23), 39-27 last 66 G beg. 9/11/22.
- TEX leads MLB in R (325) and R/G (6.13) at home in 2023.
VS. LOS ANGELES-NL: Texas has lost each of the 1st 2 G of this series, as this is the Rangers’ 5th straight series loss vs. LAD since taking 3 of 4 in home-and-home series in 2015…TEX has lost 3 straight, 6 of 7, and 11 of last 13 G vs. LAD beg. 6/18/15…TEX is 1-4 all-time vs. LAD at GLF, losing 4 straight since lone win 8/28/20…TEX is 13-22 all-time vs. LAD, incl. 7-13 in Arlington.
- Texas has gone 14-14 in Interleague play this season, losing 4 straight and 5 of last 6 G after a 13-9 start…TEX is 25- 20 (.556) in last 45 G vs. N.L. dating back to 4/30/22, going 15-8 in Interleague home games in that span.
OWEN WHITE RECALLED: RHP Owen White has been recalled from Round Rock (AAA) and will be available in the bullpen for today’s game…White, who was scratched from his scheduled start for the Express last night ahead of today’s promotion, has combined to go 3-3 with a 3.61 ERA over 16 G/GS for Frisco (AA) and Round Rock this season, posting a 1.161 WHIP figure…White also started for the A.L. in the Futures Game on 7/8 in Seattle, whiffing ARI prospect Jordan Lawler in a perfect 1st inning.
200 FOR SEMIEN: Marcus Semien led off yesterday’s game with a home run, marking his 200th career HR…according to Stathead, Semien becomes just the 30th middle infielder (min. 50% of games played) in MLB history with at least 200 HR…the only other active middle INF to do it is NYM’s Francisco Lindor (203 HR)…the only other Ranger to appear on that list? Ian Kinsler (257 HR).
- Yesterday was Semien’s A.L.-best 5th leadoff HR in ’23, 3rd-most in MLB (10-LAD’s Mookie Betts, 6-PHI’s Kyle Schwarber)…the 5 leadoff HR are T6th-most in a season in TEX history, 2 shy of the club record (7-Choo in 2019, Kinsler in 2009/2011/2012).
BRAD ON THE BUMP: Brad Miller pitched the final 2.0 innings for TEX in yesterday’s blowout loss…it was the 2nd time for a position player to pitch for Texas in ’23 (Sandy León, 5/15 vs. ATL)…it was the 26th instance in Rangers history and Miller became the 20th different player to do it… Miller goes down in club history for the longest outing (2.0 IP) ever by a position player (prev. 1.2 IP by Jeff Kunkel on 5/20/89 vs. MIN)…it was the 1st pitching appearance of Miller’s career, as catcher is now the only position at which he has yet to appear in the Majors.
IT TAKES TWO: Despite the big loss yesterday, the Rangers’ doubles streak was extended…Texas has at least one double in 29 straight games (beg. 6/18), 3rd-longest doubles streak in MLB this season (36-ATL, 34-LAA) and 2nd-longest in Rangers franchise history (34 G, 6/19-7/26/96).
- Rangers rank 2nd in MLB with 219 doubles this season (BOS-223).
OH-AND-2?: Texas has lost the 1st 2 games of a series for just the 5th time this season, although 3 of the 1st 4 instances – and each of the prior 3 occurrences in a 3-G series – came in April…the other 4 times that TEX has opened a series with back-to-back losses in 2023: 4/3-5 vs. BAL (lost series, 1-to2), 4/7-9 at CHC (lost series 1-to-2), 4/24-25 at CIN (swept, 0-to-3), 6/12-13 vs. LAA (lost series 1-to-3)…that series in Cincinnati is the only time for the Rangers to go winless this
season, and it has not happened at GLF since 9/23-25/22 vs. CLE (0-3).
BIG LOSS: Yesterday’s 16-3 defeat was Rangers’ biggest loss since a 15-1 loss on 9/13/21 vs. HOU, which was the only other time for Rangers to lose by 13+ runs at Globe Life Field…the 16 runs allowed were most against Texas in nearly 4 years, since a 19-4 defeat on 8/12/19 at TOR.
SOUTHBOUND: The Rangers are scheduled to fly to Houston after today’s game and begin a 6-G, 7-day road trip to HOU (3 G) and SD (3 G) tomorrow night at Minute Maid
Park…TEX is 3-4 vs. HOU in ’23, taking 2 of 3 at MMP (4/14- 16) and dropping 3 of 4 at GLF (6/30-7/3)…the April series win in Houston snapped a span of 10 straight series losses at MMP since going 3-0 from 7/27-29/18…TEX is 7-30 (.189) in last 37 G at MMP since start of 2019.
SHORTS: Yesterday’s attendance was 40,738, a facility record for a Rangers contest at Globe Life Field…it was the 11th sellout at Globe Life Field this season, which includes both contests in the Dodgers series and 6th sellout in the last 12 G in Arlington…TEX has a 7-1 record this season in club’s Sunday powder blue uniforms.
TODAY’S STARTING PITCHER – #54 Martín Pérez, LHP (7-3, 4.84)
TODAY: The 32-year-old left-hander is slated to make his 19th start of the season in today’s series finale against the Dodgers…his .811 opp. OPS allowed in 2023 is 3rd-highest among A.L. pitchers (min. 90.0 IP) to CWS’ Lance Lynn (.840) and KC’s Brady Singer (.832), while his season-high 4.84 ERA (52 ER/96.2 IP) would be 5th-highest in A.L. if he qualified…still ranks among TEX leaders in quality starts (T2nd, 8) and wins (3rd, 7), and his .700 win pct. is 6th-best among A.L. starters (min. 15 GS)…has permitted 17 HR in 18 G/GS this season, 2nd-most among Rangers (18-Heaney), after surrendering just 11 HR over 32 G/GS in 2022…has gone 1-2, 6.91 ERA (22 ER/28.2 IP) in last 6 starts since the 6/11 to raise his season ERA from 4.67 to 4.84…will work this afternoon on extra days’ rest, as the southpaw is 2-0 this season with a 5.48 ERA (13 ER/21.1 IP) in 4 starts on 6+ days rest.…made 2 starts for Venezuela in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, posting no record and a 9.82 ERA (4 ER/3.2 IP)…after returning to the Rangers on a one-year free agent deal for 2022, he elected to stay with Texas in 2023 on a one-year deal after accepting the club’s qualifying offer in November… spent the first 11 seasons of his professional career with the Rangers (2008-18), and has been with the organization for 12 of his 15 years as a pro…left the club for 3 years for brief stints with Minnesota (2019) and Boston (2020-21)…since 2016, his first full campaign after returning from ‘Tommy John’ surgery, has the 2nd-most starts (192) and 2nd-most innings pitched (1098.1) of any pitcher in the American League…saw two seasons cut short in 2014-15 following ‘Tommy John’ ligament reconstruction surgery on his left elbow on 5/19/14…Texas has gone 12-6 in his 18 starts this season.
LAST START: Pérez did not factor into the decision in his first start of the 2nd “half’ vs. CLE on 7/16, permitting 3 R (all earned) over 5.0 innings (ND, 5.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R-ER, 4 BB, 2 SO, 1 HR, 86 pitches/47 strikes)…issued a season high-tying 4 walks (3x, last 5/30 at DET) and threw just 47 of 86 (54.7%) pitches for strikes… held CLE scoreless on just 1 H over his last 3.0 IP after surrendering 3 R on 4 H and 2 BB over first 2.0 IP.
FOREVER RANGER: Has a 62-60 record with a 4.33 ERA over 191 games/178 starts in his Rangers career, ranking among club’s all-time leaders in starts (7th), innings (8th, 1054.1), wins (T9th), and strikeouts (11th, 693)…his 62 wins are the T2nd-most ever by a Texas left-hander (also Derek Holland), trailing only Kenny Rogers (133)…Pérez and Rogers (1909.0 IP) are the only lefties in Texas history to log 1000.0+ IP with the club.
- Since returning to Texas prior to the start of the 2022 campaign, Pérez has gone 19-11, 3.53 ERA (115 ER/293.0 IP) in 50 G/GS…ranks among qualified A.L. pitchers over that span in quality starts (T4th, 31), starts (T6th), innings (7th), ground ball pct. (8th, 48.3%), HR/9 (8th, 0.86), and wins (T8th)…the only other A.L. hurlers with 31+ QS over the last 2 seasons? HOU’s Framber Valdez (39), NYY’s Gerrit Cole (36), CLE’s Shane Bieber (34), and TOR’s Kevin Gausman (also 31).
VS. LOS ANGELES-NL/INTERLEAGUE: Pérez will make his first career start against the Dodgers today…the Dodgers are the only remaining team that Pérez has yet to face in his career…in 1 start against an A.L. West opponent this season (5/19 vs. COL), Pérez notched the win after tossing 7.0 innings…allowed 2 R-ER on 7 H, and 0 BB against a season high-tying 7 SO.
- Pérez has gone 3-1, 1.66 ERA (7 ER/38.0 IP) in 6 starts against Interleague opponents this season, notching 4 quality starts…N.L. batters own a .241/.281/.303/.584 (35-for-145) slash line against him, along with 7 BB and 32 SO (7.58 SO/9).
AT HOME / GLOBE LIFE FIELD: Has seen far better ERA results in his 8 starts at home this season (3-1, 3.48 ERA) than his 10 starts on the road (4-2, 5.98 ERA)… has quality starts in 4 of last 7 at home…just 5 of 17 HR allowed in 2023 have come at Globe Life Field…over his last 22 starts in Arlington (beg. 4/28/22), has gone 8-3 with a 2.88 ERA (41 ER/128.1 IP) and 16 quality starts…is 8-6, 3.04 (48 ER/142.0 IP) in 25 career games/starts at Globe Life Field, and ranks among the all-time leaders at this facility (incl. 2020 postseason) in strikeouts (2nd, 128), starts (2nd), and wins (T2nd)…opponents have batted .244/.318/.350/.668 (131- 537) with just 10 HR (0.63 HR/9) against Pérez in his career here at GLF.
HOW SUPPORTIVE: Has received an average of 7.82 runs of support per 9.0 innings this season, which would easily be MLB’s highest mark if he qualified (7.22
by ATL’s Charlie Morton)…Derek Holland currently owns the highest full-season qualified RSA ever by a Ranger, boasting a 7.64 mark in 2011.
- TEX has backed up Pérez with 5+ R of support in 9 of his 18 starts this season, including double-digit runs twice (14 RS on 4/30 vs. NYY, 11 RS on 5/7 at LAA).
2023: Opponents have batted .285/.345/.466/.811 (109-382) with 34 extra-base hits (17 HR, 3B, 16 2B), incl. opp. BA’s of .317 (19-60) vs. LHB and .280 (90- 322) vs. RHB…3.67 pitches per batter faced is 4th-lowest mark in A.L (min. 95.0 IP)…opp. BA by time thru the order: 1st (.280, 40-143), 2nd (.277, 38-137), 3rd (.313, 31-99), 4th (0-3)…Jonah Heim has caught all 18 of Pérez’s starts…has logged at least 5.0 IP in 14 of 18 starts, and has season-high 7.0 IP four times (last 6/21 at CWS)…in win on 5/24 at PIT, recorded season-high 15 ground balls, 2 of which resulted in GIDP’s…held Buccos scoreless over final 5.0 frames… had season-high 104 pitches in ultra-quality start on 5/19 vs. COL (7.0 IP, 7 H, 2 R-ER, 0 BB, 7 SO)
