MILWAUKEE BREWERS NOTES:
BREWERS vs. RANGERS
SUMMARY: Are 188-161 all-time, including 7-9 in Interleague Play….. they last met from 8/9-8/11, 2019 in Milwaukee with the Brewers winning 2 of 3 games.
at MIL: Are 89-82 all-time, going 4-4 at AmFam Field and 85-78 at County Stadium…..went 4-2 as the Seattle Pilots at Sick’s Stadium (1969).
at TEX: Are 90-64 all-time, going 14-15 at The Ballpark in Arlington and 76-49 at Arlington Stadium…..went 5-13 at RFK Stadium (Washington) from 1969-71…..the team last visited Texas from 9/26-9/28, 2016 (1-2).
Spanning the Globe
The Brewers are officially visiting Globe Life Field for the first time….. the team did play a pair of exhibition games here from 3/29-3/30, 2021, winning both contests…..the Brewers have not played the Rangers in the regular season since 8/9-8/11, 2019 in Milwaukee (2-1)…..they have not visited Texas since 9/26-9/28, 2016 (1-2)…..it is their longest active stretch between visits against any team.
Brandon Iron
Brandon Woodruff is 12-3 with a 2.32 ERA in his last 25 starts dating Back to last season (147.1ip, 38er) while holding opponents to a .201 AVG (108-for-537) and 0.98 WHIP with 36 walks and 179 strikeouts.
Stealing the Show
Sal Frelick had 3 stolen bases last night in Los Angeles, the most by a Brewer since Christian Yelich had three on 9/7/19 vs. Chicago-NL and the most by a Brewers rookie since Norichika Aoki swiped four on 6/23/12 at Chicago-AL.
Rebel Yeli
In his last 61 games, Christian Yelich has batted .318 (78-for-245) with 43 runs, 9 HR and 41 RBI while he has a .395 OBP/.518 SLG/.913 OPS.
1,500
Christian Yelich is 18 hits away from 1,500 for his Major League career….. there are currently 22 active players with 1,500+ hits.
Santana’s Greatest Hits
Carlos Santana needs 6 HR for 300 in his Major League career…..his 294 career HR are 10th in MLB history by switch-hitters.
Player HR
- Chili Davis …………………………………..350
- Reggie Smith ………………………………314
- Ruben Sierra ……………………………..306
- Carlos Santana ……………………..294
A Slice of Devin
All-Star Devin Williams is unscored upon in 44 of his 48 appearances this season…..he has not allowed an earned run in 16 consecutive outings (14.2ip)…..Williams is among NL relief leaders the following categories:
THIS EVENING’S GAME: Is game 7 (3-3) of a 9-game, 10-day trip to Chicago-AL (3-0), Los Angeles-NL (0-3) and Texas (3g)…..following this trip and an off day on monday, the team returns to American Family Field for 5 games in 6 days vs. Minnesota (2g) and San Diego (3g).
IN THE TRAINER’S ROOM: LHP Aaron Ashby (left labrum), RHP J.C. Mejía (right shoulder), OF Garrett Mitchell (left shoulder), OF Blake Perkins (left oblique), 1B Darin Ruf (right knee), RHP Julio Teheran (right hip), 1B Rowdy Tellez (right forearm/left ring finger), LHP Justin Wilson (left lat) and OF Jesse Winker (back) are on the injured list….. Ashby, Mitchell, Ruf and Wilson are on the 60-day IL.
IN THE STANDINGS (141 days): The Brewers have spent the following number of days alone or tied at each position in the NL Central standings: FIRST: 88, SECOND: 51, THIRD: 2, FOURTH: 0, FIFTH: 0…..the team is currently in first place, leading the Cubs and Reds by 2.0 games.
SERIES-LY SPEAKING: The Brewers are 20-17-2 in series play.
Game 1: 19-20, Game 2: 21-18, Game 3: 21-17, Game 4: 4-2 Sweep Wins (6): vs. NYM (3g, 4/3-4/5), at SEA (3g, 4/17-4/19), vs. KC (3g, 5/12-5/14), vs. PIT (3g, 6/16-6/18), at CIN (3g, 7/14-7/16), at CWS (3g, 8/11-8/13) Sweep Losses (5): at COL (3g, 5/2-5/4), vs. OAK (3g, 6/9-6/11), at MIN (2g, 6/13-6/14), at ATL (3g, 7/28-7/30), at LAD (3g, 8/15-8/17)
AT HOME: The Brewers are 33-27 at home, going 10-7-2 in series play…..went 46-35 at home last season, going 15-8-4 in series play.
ON THE ROAD: The Brewers are 32-30 on the road, going 10-10-0 in series play…..went 40-41 on the road last season, going 9-12-5 in series play.
LET’S GO TO THE VIDEO TAPE: The Brewers have made 27 replay challenges this season, going 11-16…..their last challenge (lost) came on 8/6 vs. Pittsburgh as an out call at third base (William Contreras) stood.
TONIGHT’S STARTER: #53 – RHP BRANDON WOODRUFF (4gs, 2-1, 1.99)
WOODRUFF AT A GLANCE: Brandon Woodruff, 30, will be making his fifth start of the season…..Woodruff last started last Saturday at Chicago-AL and earned a 3-2 victory (6.1ip, 4h, 2r, 2er, 1bb, 5k, 1hr, 1hbp, 86 pitches)…..the team is 3-1 in his starts…..he has 2 quality starts…..opponents are batting .188 (15-for-80, 4hr)…..he has gone 12-3 with a 2.32 ERA over his last 25 starts dating back to last season (147.1ip, 38er)…..Woodruff was placed on the 15-day injured list on April 11 with right shoulder inflammation, retroactive to April 8…..he was transferred to the 60-day injured list on May 15…..Woodruff was selected in the 11th round of the 2014 First-Year Player Draft out of Mississippi State University…..he is under club control through 2024.
LAST SEASON: Woodruff went 13-4 with a 3.05 ERA in 27 starts last season…..he led the team with a career-high 13 wins…..the team went 19-8 in his starts…..he made 15 quality starts…..he held opponents to a .215 batting average with 190 strikeouts in 153.1 innings…..Woodruff missed a month while on the 15-day injured list from 5/30-6/27 with a right ankle sprain and Raynaud’s syndrome affecting his pitching fingers…..he went 8-1 with a 2.38 ERA in 18 starts after coming off The injured list (109.2ip, 29er).
CAREER: Is 43-26 with a 3.14 ERA in 123 games/108 starts (636ip, 222er)…..is in his seventh MLB season, all with the Brewers (2017-23)…..was a 2019 and 2021 All-Star.
CAREER AT AMERICAN FAMILY FIELD: Is 24-9 with a 2.93 ERA in 62 games/55 starts (328.1ip, 107er)…..is 1-1 with a 1.74 ERA in 2 starts this season (10.1ip, 2er).
CAREER ON THE ROAD: Is 19-17 with a 3.36 ERA in 61 games/53 starts (307.2ip, 115er)…..is 1-0 with a 2.19 ERA in 2 starts this season (12.1ip, 3er).
CAREER vs. RANGERS: Woodruff has never faced the Arlington, Texas Rangers.
TEXAS RNAGERS NOTES:
WINS AND LOSSES: Texas dropped the series finale against the Angels on Wed., 0-2, as club has a 2-1 record in this 6-G, 7-day homestand vs. LAA (2-1) and MIL (3 G)…team enjoyed an off day yesterday, their 2nd in the last 8 days… club has 72 wins, already most since 2019 (78)…TEX has won 4 of 6 and 12 of its last 15 G, including a season-best 8-G win streak (8/1-8), longest for Texas since going 10-0, 5/9-19/17…Rangers are an A.L.-best 12-3 (.800) in Aug., 2nd-best in MLB to only LAD (15-1, .938)…have gone 13-7 in last 20 G and 14-10 in last 24 G since a 6-G win streak (7/14-19) out of the break…team is an A.L.-best 20-10 (.667) in the 2nd “half”, 2nd-best in MLB (LAD is 23-8, .742), and 20 wins are T3rd in MLB (23-LAD, 21-SEA, BAL/CHC/HOU/ TEX)…TEX is 21-12 in last 33, 22-16 in last 38 G, and 23-18 in last 41 G…team was 12-19 over a 31-G span from 6/7-7/9 to end the 1st “half”…TEX is 58-38 in last 96 G, 62-43 in last 105 G and 67-45 last 112 G (beg. 4/9).
- At 72-49 (.595), TEX owns the 2nd-best record in the A.L., 4th-best in MLB (.650-ATL, .617-LAD, .612-BAL, .595- TEX)…72 wins rank 3rd in the A.L., 5th-most in MLB (78-ATL, 74-BAL/LAD, 73-TB, 72-TEX).
- The 72-49 mark is tied for the best 121-G start to a season in Washington/Texas franchise history (see chart below).
WITH A WIN TONIGHT, Texas would:
- Post the best 122-G record in franchise history at 73-49.
- Improve to 43-21 at Globe Life Field, tied for the best 64-G start to a season at home in franchise history (also 2016).
- Improve to 16-3 at home since the break, tied for most wins in a 19-G span at home in franchise history (7x, last 5/15-6/24/95).
- Win a series opener for the 6th straight time (since 8/1).
- Reach season-high 24 G above .500 for the 2nd time this season (also 8/15, 72-48)…the 6th season in franchise history to reach said mark: 1977, 1999, 2011, 2012, 2016, 2023.
STANDINGS: Texas owns a lead of at least 2.5-games in A.L. West over 2nd-place HOU for a 2nd straight day, as team was 3.5+ G for 2 days from 8/14-15…held leads of 2.0+ G in the division for 63 consecutive days from 5/23-7/24 before it dropped to 0.5 G for 3 straight days 7/31-8/2…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 103 straight, 110 of 111, and 123 of the last 125 days beg. 4/14.
- TEX has been alone or tied atop the division for 139 of the season’s first 140 days (exception: 4/8).
SERIES STUFF: After securing a series win this week vs. LAA, the Rangers have won 5 straight series, 2nd-best streak in ’23 (6-0-0, 5/19-6/7)…club is now 7-3-0 in series since break, going 5-1-0 at home in 2nd “half”…the 7-3-0 span follows a 2-6-1 stretch to end the 1st “half”…is now 24- 13-2 overall in series this year, going 13-5-2 at home and 11-8-0 on the road.
AT HOME: TEX owns an American League-best 42-21 (.667) record at home, T2nd in MLB (LAD: 41-20, .672, ATL: 40-20, .667) and tied for best 63-G home start in team history (see chart)…MLB-best 15-3 (.833) in 2nd “half”, and owns a 20-8 mark in Arlington beg. 6/17…club won 9 straight games at home from 7/23-8/15, longest ever at Globe Life Field.
VS. MILWAUKEE: This weekend’s series marks the 1st meeting between the Rangers and Brewers since Milwaukee took 2 of 3 from 8/9-11/19 at The Park Formerly Known As
Miller…this is the Brew Crew’s first ever visit to Globe Life Field (regular or postseason), one of 5 teams that has still never played an official game at this facility (also CHC/CIN/ NYM/PIT)…TEX is 143-170 all-time vs. MIL, with MIL owning a 90-64 lead in games played in Arlington.
DOUBLE TR(I)OUBLE: Marcus Semien on Wed. became the 3rd Ranger to reach the 30 doubles mark this season (also Nathaniel Lowe-33, Corey Seager-32), as TEX becomes the 1st team in MLB with 3 players reaching 30 doubles this season….it is Semien’s 5th consecutive season (excluding 2020) with 30+ doubles, and his 187 doubles since 2018 rank T3rd-most in the A.L. (also Whit Merrifield).
EXTRA, EXTRA: Semien’s double also extended TEX’s XBH streak to 80 straight G, now tied for 3rd-longest such streak in franchise history (see chart below)…the streak is also the 2nd-longest active XBH streak in MLB (HOU, 83 G).
LONGEST EXTRA BASE HIT STREAKS
IN WSH/TEX FRANCHISE HISTORY (since 1961)
Games Date
93 6/8-9/24/01
89 4/24-8/1/02
80 9/18/02-6/18/03, 5/16/23-current
QUALITY IS OUR RECIPE: Despite being saddled with the loss on Wed. vs. LAA, Jon Gray was able to produce his 10th quality start of the season (7.0 IP, 6 H, 1 R-ER)…TEX’s rotation has now produced quality starts in 4 straight and 8 of the past 9 games…team’s MLB-high 12 quality starts in August are already T2nd-most for the club in any month in ’23 (15-May, 12-April/August)…rotation has allowed more than 3 runs just once in 15 games during Aug. (Jon Gray on 8/5 vs. MIA – 5 R-ER in 5.1 IP)…starters’ 2.08 ERA (21 ER/91.0 IP) is lowest in the A.L./2nd in MLB this month (LAD, 1.97).
WHO LET THE BULLDOGS OUT?: This weekend’s series sees a reunion of former 2012 Mississippi State Bulldogs and Tupelo, MS natives Chris Stratton and Brandon Woodruff…both played key roles on a Bulldogs team that went 40-24 and won the 2012 SEC Baseball Tournament…Stratton earned Consensus All-American honors after going 11-2 with a 2.38 ERA (29 ERA/109.2 IP) and 127 SO in 17 games/12 starts that season, becoming the first Bulldog to earn that honor since former Ranger Will Clark in 1985.
IT’S DIFFERENT HERE: TEX’s A.L.-best +195 run differential is the 2nd best R/D for the Rangers this season (+197 on 8/15)…only ATL (+208) has a higher mark in ’23…despite going 4-3 in their last 7 G, TEX has only lost by a total of 5 R in those 3 losses, increasing their R/D by +18 in that span.
HOME REST IS GOOD REST: The Rangers own a 5-2 record in games held at Globe Life Field after an off day this season…TEX is currently riding a 2 game winning streak in games following off days, with a 9-6 record overall in such games in 2023.
TONIGHT’S STARTING PITCHER – #44 Andrew Heaney, LHP (9-6, 4.17)
TONIGHT: The 32-year-old left-hander is scheduled to make his 24th start of the season in tonight’s series opener against the Brewers…has gone 4-0 with a 2.54 ERA (8 ER/28.1 IP) and 26 SO/11 BB over his last 6 starts, dropping his season ERA from 4.71 to 4.17…is 9-5, 3.71 ERA (46 ER/111.2 IP) in 22 GS since surrendering 7 R-ER in Texas debut on 4/4 vs. BAL (L, 2.2 IP, 7 R-ER)…leads Rangers with 119 strikeouts in 2023, and 9.37 SO/9 figure ranks 7th among A.L. starting pitchers (min. 23 GS)…ranks T2nd on club with 9 wins (11-Eovaldi, 9-Heaney/Dunning), as he has tied his career high for wins in a season (also 2018 w/ LAA)…has allowed team-high 19 HR, T15th-most in A.L., but has permitted just 2 HR in last 6 G (0.64 HR/9)…114.1 IP in ’23 marks 3rd-highest innings total of his career (180.0-2018, 129.2-2021)…is coming off an abbreviated start on Sat. at SF (ND, 1.1 IP, 1 R-ER), outing in which he was not at full strength, as he did not throw a bullpen during the week due to lingering illness (see below)… outing snapped streak of career-best 15.2 consecutive scoreless innings from 7/26-8/6…was on MLB Paternity List from 7/4-6 after his wife (Jordan) gave birth to twin daughters on 7/3…is in his first season with Texas after signing a two-year free agent contract with the club on 12/9/22…the 9-year MLB veteran has appeared in 160 games/149 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 MIA in the first round (9th overall) of the 2012 MLB Draft…TEX is 14-9 in his 23 starts this season.
LAST START: Is coming off an abbreviated start on Sat. at SF (ND, 1.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R-ER, 2 BB, 1 SO, 0 HR, 40 pitches/23 strikes)…did not throw a bullpen prior to the start and was fatigued due to an illness he was suffering that week…run allowed in 1st inning snapped scoreless streak at career-best 15.2 SHO IP from 7/26-8/6…reliever Grant Anderson stranded bases loaded and bullpen carried staff in a 9-3 TEX win.
VS. MILWAUKEE: Has just 2 G/GS in career vs. MIL, both in consecutive outings in August 2022 w/ LAD, going 1-1, 4.22 (5 ER/10.2 IP) w/ 2 BB/20 SO…had 10 SO in each of those 2 outings…earned win in last of those outings on 8/24/22 at Dodger Stadium (6.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R-ER, 1 BB, 10 SO), permitting solo HR to Willy Adames in Dodgers’ 12-6 win.
AT GLOBE LIFE FIELD: Has been scoreless in 4 of his last 5 starts at GLF since the start of July: 3-0, 1.33 (4 ER/27.0 IP), 7 BB, 30 SO, 1 HR, .206 opp. BA, .538 opp. OPS…only start in which he allowed runs in that span came on 7/21 vs. LAD (5.0 IP, 4 R-ER), when he gave up a HR to a red-hot Freddie Freeman, his only HR allowed to a LH batter in 2023…his 14 home starts are T2nd in A.L. (15-KC’s Brady Singer) and 77 SO at home are T12th in A.L…has a lower opp. OPS at home (.742) than on the road (.770)…he owns a career 6-5 record and 4.60 ERA (40 ER/78.1 IP) in 16 G/GS at Globe Life Field (14 w/ TEX, 2 w/ LAA)…ranks among GLF’s all-time leaders (incl. 2020 postseason) in starts (6th, 16), wins (T6th, 6), strikeouts (9th, 85).
TOUGH ON LEFT: LHB are 8-for-21 with 4 XBH (HR, 3B, 2 2B) against Heaney in his last 7 starts, but have still slashed .206/.375/.333/.708 (13-63) with 5 extra-base hits against him in 2023…Heaney has held lefties to a .218/.345/.347/.691 (27-124) slash line and just 2 HR allowed (Freddie Freeman 7/21/23 vs. LAD and Jake Cronenworth on 9/11/22 at SD w/ LAD) over the last 2 seasons (beg. 2022).
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 SO’s marked the most successive SO’s by a pitcher in TEX 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 A.L. record for successive strikeouts, as he became just 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, 18th double-digit SO game of his career (last 10 on 8/24/22 vs. MIL w/ LAD)…the last left-handed Rangers pitcher with 10+ SO in a single game was Mike Minor on 8/11/19 at MIL (11 SO).
2023: Opponents are batting .239/.324/.429/.753 (103-431) w/ 19 HR, including a .206 (13-63) mark with 5 XBH (HR, 3B, 3 2B) vs. LH batters…44 of 58 runs allowed have come in 1st (13), 2nd (13), or 3rd (18) inning…opp. BA/OPS by time through lineup: 1st (.260/.781), 2nd (.209/.657), 3rd (.260/.906)…9 wins this season have tied his career high (also 2018 w/ LAA)…Jonah Heim has caught 16 starts (3.83 ERA), Mitch Garver has caught 5 starts (4.19), and Sandy León caught 2 starts (7.59)…career-best 15.2 consecutive scoreless innings from 7/26-8/6…posted season-high 11 SO on 8/1 vs. CWS (W, 6.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 11 SO, 80 pitches/55 strikes)…was his 19th career 10+ strikeout game, 2nd in ’23 (also 10 SO on 4/10 vs. KC)…became just the 3rd pitcher in Rangers history (beg. 1972) to allow 2-or-fewer hits, zero walks, and strike out 11+ batters in a game, joining Yu Darvish on 4/2/13 at HOU (8.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 14 SO) and Matt Perisho on 10/3/99 at LAA (6.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 12 SO)…posted 5.0 SHO IP in 1st 2 starts vs. Astros (4/16 at HOU; 7/2 vs. HOU) and took no decision in both outings…earned 1st road win of season on 5/27 at BAL (W, 7.0 IP, 4 H, 1
