OAKLAND ATHLETICS NOTES:
ABOUT THE A’S: Have been swept in back-to-back series and have lost each of the first six series of the season for the first time in Athletics history (previous: 5 in 1935, 1946 and 1951)…snapped a season-high seven-game losing streak with last night’s win but have lost 13 of the last 15 games and 16 of the last 19…are 4-16 (.200) overall and are tied with the Royals for the lowest winning percentage in the majors…have matched the 1919 and 1951 Philadelphia A’s for the worst record in Athletics history after 20 games…no A’s team has started the year 4-17 (were 5-16 in 1919, 1946, 1951 and 1965)… the A’s won the opener this year and spent the first two days of the season in a tie for first in the American League West…were in fourth place after the April 6 off day but have spent each day since then in fifth place.
OFFENSE: The A’s scored three runs in the three-game series against the Cubs and have scored 70 runs for the season, which is fifth fewest in the majors… have been shut out four times, which is second to the Royals for the most in the majors (5)…are batting .188 (36-for-191) with one home runs and 13 runs scored over the last six games…have the fourth lowest batting average (.225) and OPS (.656) in the majors (.656), the fifth fewest extra base hits (46), the fifth lowest slugging percentage (.350), seventh lowest on-base percentage (.307) and eighth fewest home runs (18)…are tied for the eighth most hit by pitches (11).
PITCHING: The A’s had four wild pitches on Wednesday against the Cubs, which fell one short of the Oakland record of five (July 23, 2021 at Seattle)… have 13 wild pitches for the season, which is second most in the majors to the Guardians (15)…allowed 12 runs on Wednesday, which marks the eighth time this year the A’s have allowed 10 or more runs in a game…have allowed 155 runs for the season, which is the most by a Major League team over its first 20 games since the 1998 Rockies allowed 156…have the highest ERA (7.53), opponents OPS (.872), on-base percentage (.382) and slugging percentage (.489) in the majors and the second highest opponents batting average (.281)…lead the majors in most walks (104), home runs (35) and hit batters (17) and have the third fewest strikeouts (245)…opponents are 13-for-27 (.481) with four grand slams, six walks and two hit by pitches with the bases loaded…the walks and grand slams are the most in the majors and the hit by pitches are tied for the most.
STARTING PITCHING: A’s starting pitchers are 0-9 with an 8.42 ERA over the first 20 games…the streak of 20 consecutive games without a win from the starting pitcher in the longest season-opening streak in Athletics history and the longest at any point of the season in Oakland history…the 1964 Kansas City A’s finished the season with a 20-game streak without a win for the starting pitcher, matching the longest single-season streak in Athletics history…that club also went without a win from the starter in the first two games of 1965 for a 22-game streak overall…A’s starters have the highest ERA in the majors and are the only team without a win from their starting pitchers…have tossed fewer than five innings 10 times and have the second fewest innings pitched (93.0).
THE BULLPEN: The A’s bullpen allowed 10 runs on Wednesday against the Cubs, which was the second time this year it allowed 10 or more runs in a game (allowed 11 runs April 14 against the Mets)…had a 10.04 ERA on the homestand and now has a 6.54 ERA for the season, which is third highest in the majors…has 84.0 innings pitched, which is second most to the Red Sox (85.2)…recorded its second save of the season last night…also had a save on Opening Day…the two saves are tied for the fewest in the majors and the A’s have four blown saves, which is tied for second most (Mariners, Orioles; 5).
DEFENSIVE DOINGS: The A’s have made five errors over the last 14 games after making eight miscues over the first six contests…have 13 errors overall, which is tied for fourth most in the majors…have a 1-8 record when going errorless and are 3-8 when making one or more errors…have four outfield assists, which are tied for fourth most in the majors…have two passed balls, which are tied for second most…had just three passed balls all last year… caught three runners stealing last night, their most in a single game since July 25, 2018, also at Texas.
ON THE BASES: The A’s went 9-for-10 in stolen base attempts in six games on the homestand and are 19-for-22 (86.4%) for the season…are tied for 10th in the majors in stolen base percentage and tied for seventh in steals…A’s opponents have been successful in 20-of-27 (74.1%) stolen base attempts and the 20 stolen bases allowed are tied for fourth most in the majors.
HOME AND AWAY: The A’s began their second road trip of the season last night, a seven-game trip to Texas (three games) and Los Angeles-AL (four games)…went 1-6 on their first road trip to Tampa Bay (0-3) and Baltimore (1-3)…went 0-6 on the last homestand against New York-NL (0-3) and Chicago-NL (0-3)…had no winless homestands of six or more games in the first 54 years in Oakland but now have two in the last two years (0-6 from April 29-May 4, 2022 against Cleveland and Tampa Bay)…have a season-high seven-game home losing streak and are now 2-10 (.167) in the Coliseum, which is the second lowest home winning percentage in the majors (Royals, 1-12/.077).
NIGHT AND DAY: The A’s are 4-7 in night games and 0-9 during the day… the nine-game losing streak in day games is the longest single-season streak by an A’s team since July 30-Sept. 4, 2008, when they lost 10 straight…the only other team without a win in a day game this year is the Dodgers, who are 0-5…are batting .271 (103-for-380) with 51 runs in 11 night games (4.6 runs per game), .163 (46-for-283) with 19 runs in nine day games (2.1 runs per game)…have the fifth best night batting average in the majors and the second lowest day batting average.
RUN DIFFERENTIAL: The A’s lost 12-2 on Wednesday, which marks the fifth time this year they have lost by 10 or more runs…from 2019-22, the A’s post a total of six games by 10 or more runs…have a run differential of -85, which is the lowest in the majors (Royals, -53)…three of the A’s four wins have been by one run and Oakland is 3-4 in one-run decisions…are tied for sixth in the majors in one-run losses and tied for fifth in one-run games (7).
A’S IN APRIL: The A’s are 3-16 (.158) in April and are one short of the Oakland record for losses in the month of April…went 7-17 in 1994 and 8-17 in 2001… the lowest April winning percentage in Oakland history in a month with five or more games is .292 in 1994…have an 7.88 ERA this month and the highest April ERA in Oakland history is 6.20 in 1994…the highest for any month of more than three games is 6.73 in Sept. 2015…have allowed 35 home runs, which is second most in Oakland history in April to the record of 36 in 1996… have allowed 154 runs, which are second most (162 in 1994).
THIS AND THAT: The A’s are 4-11 when the opponent starts a right-handed pitcher, 0-5 when they start a left-hander…are the only team in the majors without a win when the opponent starts a lefty…are 1-4 when scoring six or more runs in a game…are 0-3 in extra inning games…the three losses are second most in the majors and the three games are tied for fourth most…seven of the A’s first 20 games have been decided in the winning teams last at bat and the A’s are 3-4 in those games.…the A’s average time of game is 2 hours and 49 minutes, which is slowest in the majors ahead of the Orioles (2:46)… have not averaged under 2:53 per game since 2010 (2:43).
THE INJURED LIST: The A’s have 10 players on the injured list (Acevedo, Blackburn, Brown, Jiménez, Laureano, May, Piña, Rucinski, Snead, Tarnok), including seven pitchers…the 10 IL placements are tied for fifth most in the majors…have added five players to IL since the start of the season after beginning the year with five players on the IL…used the IL 31 times last year, which broke the Oakland record of 27 set in 2016 and matched in 2021.
A’S VS. RANGERS
• The A’s lost the season series to the Rangers last year for the first time since 2016 when they went 9-10.
• Went 8-11 and the 11 losses were the A’s most to Texas since 2011 (6-13).
• Are 63-43 (.594) against Texas dating back to 2017…are 34-17 (.667) in Oakland and 29-26 (.527) in Arlington over that span.
Year Home Road Totals
2023 0-0 1-0 1-0
2022 4-6 4-5 8-11
Oakland History: 404-396
at the Coliseum: 212-186
at Globe Life Field: 14-13
Athletics History: 501-478
TODAY’S TIDBITS
Jesús Aguilar is 5-for-13 (.385) with his lone home run and all four of his RBI against left-handed pitching…is 2-for-2 with a home run in is career against today’s Rangers starter Andrew Heaney…Brent Rooker is 13-for-33 (.394) with four home runs, 11 RBI and five multiple hit games over his last 10 games…Esteury Ruiz leads American League rookies in batting (.299) and on-base percentage (.382).
TODAY’S STARTING PITCHER: Shintaro Fujinami (0-3, 11.37 ERA)
FOR STARTERS: Is scheduled to make his fourth start of the season and his Major League career…his first three starts also came on a Saturday…was signed by the A’s as a free agent on Jan. 13, 2023 after pitching 10 seasons in Japan and made his ML debut April 1 against Los Angeles (AL)…became the 57th pitcher in Oakland history to start in his ML debut.
0-3: Has lost each of his first three starts and is the fourth pitcher in Oakland history to take the loss in each of his first three career appearances… joins Mike Morgan (1978), Brad Rigby (1997) and Daniel Mengden (2016)…in Athletics history, the only pitchers to lose more than each of the first three games of their career are Morgan, who went 0-9 in his first nine games (1978-79) and Roger Wolff, who went 0-4 in his first four games (1941-42)… Fujinami’s three losses are tied for fifth most in the majors this year.
THIS AND THAT: Has not allowed a run in the first two innings (6.0 ip) and opponents are 1-for-19 (.053) with no walks…has a 21.60 ERA (16 er in 6.2 ip) and .367 (11-for-30) opponents batting average from the third inning on… has allowed 16 runs, which is tied for 17th most in the majors…opponents are batting .138 (4-for-29) with both of his home runs allowed with the bases empty, .400 (8-for-20) with runners on…they are 6-for-12 (.500) with runners in scoring position and 3-for-3 with a sacrifice fly with the bases loaded…opponents are 0-for-16 with two strikes.
FIRST START: He was the losing pitcher in his Major League debut, a 13-1 A’s loss to Los Angeles (AL) on April 1 in Oakland…allowed eight runs in 2.1 innings, which are the most runs in Oakland history by a pitcher in his ML debut (previous: 7 by Daniel Gossett on June 14, 2017 at Miami)…matched the most runs by an A’s pitcher in his debut over the last 103 years (fourth time, last: Johnny Gray, July 18, 1954 vs. Chicago, G#1)…retired the side in order in the first two innings…then faced nine batters in the third inning, allowing five hits, three walks and a sacrifice fly.
SECOND START: He was the losing pitcher in the A’s 11-0 loss at Tampa Bay on April 8…blanked the Rays on one walk over the first three innings but then allowed two runs in the fourth and three more in the fifth…allowed two-run singles to Paredes in the fourth and Arozarena in the fifth…was relieved by Moll with one out in the fifth and he allowed an inherited runner to score.
LAST START: He lost his third consecutive start in the A’s 3-2 loss to New York (NL) a week ago today in Oakland…blanked the Mets on two hits over the first three innings and allowed just one run over his first six innings, a one-out home run by Alonso in the fourth…had a 2-1 lead when he allowed a leadoff home run to Canha in the seventh…walked Vogelbach and was relieved by May, who allowed the inherited runner to score.
TEXAS RANGERS NOTES:
WINS AND LOSSES: Texas lost to the Athletics last night, 5-4…club is now 0-1 on this brief 3-game homestand with Oakland (0-1 + 2 G)…last night’s defeat snapped the Rangers’ season-best 4-game winning streak, matching the club’s longest win streak since the start of 2020 (4x, last 5/25- 28/22)…Rangers have still won 4 of 5, 5 of 7 and 8 of last 11 G for a 12-7 (.632) record, T2nd-best in the A.L. to only TB (17-3, .850) and T6th-best in MLB…Rangers’ 12 wins are T2nd-most in A.L. and T6th in MLB…have a 9-7 record last 16 G since club’s 3-0 start to the season.
• Team currently sits 5 games above .500 and would return to season-high 6 games over with a win tonight…Texas has been .500-or-better following every game in 2023.
• The current 12-7 record ranks as 7th-best 19-G start in club history and is the best 19-G start since 2013 (13-6)… the Rangers have not won 13+ G thru the first 20 G of a season since 2013 (13-7)…TEX recorded its 12th win in 2022 on May 10.
STANDINGS: The Rangers have gained 2.5 games in the division over the last 8 days, maintaining sole possession of 1st place in the A.L. West for an 8th straight day and 13th day overall in 2023…own a 2.5-game division lead over HOU/ LAA (both tied for 2nd), the team’s largest lead this late into a season (April 21-or-later) since 10/2/16 (+9.0 GA), the last day of team’s division-winning campaign in 2016…TEX has
been alone or tied atop the division for 22 of the season’s first 23 days, including 9 straight to begin the year.
• From 2017-22, the Rangers had one day in which it held, or was tied for, 1st place in the West (1-0 on 7/24/20, tied for division lead).
SERIES STUFF: TEX went 3-0 in K.C. this week (Mon-Wed), 1st undefeated road series of 3+ games since 9/5-8/19 at BAL (4-0)…it was team’s 2nd undefeated series in ‘23 (3- 0, 3/30-4/2 vs. PHI), this after 3 total undefeated series of multiple games in 2022…club has won 3 consecutive series for just the 2nd time since the start of 2021 (also 3-0-0 from 4/29-5/9/21 vs. BOS/at MIN/vs. SEA)…TEX is 4-2-0 overall in series this year, going 2-1-0 both at home and on the road.
AT HOME: The Rangers are 6-4 (.600) at home to begin the year, this after starts of 2-8 (in 2022) and 3-7 (in 2021) at GLF the past 2 years…the .600 home win pct. is 4th-best in A.L. (11-0, 1.000-TB, 4-2, .667-TOR, 5-3, .625-BAL) and 8th in MLB…Rangers’ 6th home win in 2022 did not come until May 10…TEX had a 34-47 record at home in 2022, 2nd-lowest in the A.L. and T4th-lowest in MLB for the year…Rangers have a 92-110 all-time record at Globe Life Field (2020-23).
VS. OAKLAND: The Rangers are 0-1 on this brief 3-G homestand against Oakland, the club’s only home games against an A.L. West opponent until June (6/2-4 vs. SEA)…TEX finished 11-8 vs. OAK in 2022, club’s most wins against any opponent, securing a season series victory for 1st time since 2016 (10-9)…TEX had dropped season series in previous 5 straight seasons, 2017-21…TEX went 3-1-2 in 6 series vs. OAK in ‘22…have lost 4 of 6, but have won 13 of 22 and 15 of last 26 vs. the Swingin’ A’s dating to 8/13/21…team has a 20-19 edge since start of 2021…TEX is 12-14 vs. OAK all-time at GLF (3-4 in 2020, 5-5 in 2021, 5-4 in 2022, 0-1 in 2023).
PEAGLE POWER: The Rangers are scheduled to wear the club’s new Nike City Connect uniforms for the 1st time over the first 2 games of this weekend series…the club is scheduled to wear the new threads for every Friday home game the rest of the season, as tonight will mark the only non-Friday game in which the club will don its City Connects in 2023.
ALL IN THE MARGINS: Despite last night’s one-run loss, the Rangers’ current +42 run differential is 2nd-best in A.L. and 3rd-best in MLB (+84 by TB, +48 by CHC)…it is the 4th-best 19-G run differential in team history to only 2012 (+55), 1998 (+48), and 1996 (+46)…the club’s highest run differential thru the first 20 G of a season? +51 in 2012.
PUT 30 ON ‘EM: The Rangers have out-scored the opposition by a 41-11 (+30) margin during the current 4-1 span, the club’s highest run differential over any 5-G stretch since 4/17-21-G2/12 (+30)…a look below at offense for TEX and opponents over the last 5 G:
R HR BA w/ RISP OPS BB
Texas 41 7 .265 22-44 .798 24
Opponents 11 3 .186 2-29 .553 17
A MANAGER’S BEST FRIEND: Jonah Heim’s 3-R HR in the 1st inning last night was the Rangers’ 6th HR of 3-or-4 runs over its last 5 G, as TEX has at least one such HR in all 5 contests during that span…that stretch matches a club record for most consecutive games with a HR of 3-or-4 runs (2x, also 7/30-8/3/03)…11 of the Rangers’ 22 HR this season have gone for 3-or-4 runs, easily the most in MLB (11-TEX, 7-TB, 6-LAD/MIN)…6 different Rangers have accounted for those 11 HR: 3-Heim, 2-Garver/García/Semien; 1-Grossman, Jung…3 of Heim’s 4 HR in 2023 have been 3-run blasts, tied with LAD’s Max Muncy and MIN’s Joey Gallo for the most HR of 3-or-4 runs in MLB.
HEIM TIME: Jonah Heim’s 3-run blast last night was his 4th HR of the season, tied with Adolis García and Marcus Semien for the team lead…all 4 of Heim’s HR this season have come as a catcher, tied for the most by any Major League backstop in 2023 (also ATL’s Sean Murphy, LAA’s Logan O’Hoppe, and TB’s Christian Bethancourt)…since the start of 2022, Heim’s 20 HR as a catcher are T3rd-most in MLB:
WINS AND LOSSES: Texas lost to the Athletics last night, 5-4…club is now 0-1 on this brief 3-game homestand with Oakland (0-1 + 2 G)…last night’s defeat snapped the Rangers’ season-best 4-game winning streak, matching the club’s longest win streak since the start of 2020 (4x, last 5/25- 28/22)…Rangers have still won 4 of 5, 5 of 7 and 8 of last 11 G for a 12-7 (.632) record, T2nd-best in the A.L. to only TB (17-3, .850) and T6th-best in MLB…Rangers’ 12 wins are T2nd-most in A.L. and T6th in MLB…have a 9-7 record last 16 G since club’s 3-0 start to the season.
• Team currently sits 5 games above .500 and would return to season-high 6 games over with a win tonight…Texas has been .500-or-better following every game in 2023.
• The current 12-7 record ranks as 7th-best 19-G start in club history and is the best 19-G start since 2013 (13-6)… the Rangers have not won 13+ G thru the first 20 G of a season since 2013 (13-7)…TEX recorded its 12th win in 2022 on May 10.
STANDINGS: The Rangers have gained 2.5 games in the division over the last 8 days, maintaining sole possession of 1st place in the A.L. West for an 8th straight day and 13th day overall in 2023…own a 2.5-game division lead over HOU/ LAA (both tied for 2nd), the team’s largest lead this late into a season (April 21-or-later) since 10/2/16 (+9.0 GA), the last day of team’s division-winning campaign in 2016…TEX has been alone or tied atop the division for 22 of the season’s first 23 days, including 9 straight to begin the year.
• From 2017-22, the Rangers had one day in which it held, or was tied for, 1st place in the West (1-0 on 7/24/20, tied for division lead).
SERIES STUFF: TEX went 3-0 in K.C. this week (Mon-Wed), 1st undefeated road series of 3+ games since 9/5-8/19 at BAL (4-0)…it was team’s 2nd undefeated series in ‘23 (3- 0, 3/30-4/2 vs. PHI), this after 3 total undefeated series of multiple games in 2022…club has won 3 consecutive series for just the 2nd time since the start of 2021 (also 3-0-0 from 4/29-5/9/21 vs. BOS/at MIN/vs. SEA)…TEX is 4-2-0 overall in series this year, going 2-1-0 both at home and on the road.
AT HOME: The Rangers are 6-4 (.600) at home to begin the year, this after starts of 2-8 (in 2022) and 3-7 (in 2021) at GLF the past 2 years…the .600 home win pct. is 4th-best in A.L. (11-0, 1.000-TB, 4-2, .667-TOR, 5-3, .625-BAL) and 8th in MLB…Rangers’ 6th home win in 2022 did not come until May 10…TEX had a 34-47 record at home in 2022, 2nd-lowest in the A.L. and T4th-lowest in MLB for the year…Rangers have a 92-110 all-time record at Globe Life Field (2020-23).
VS. OAKLAND: The Rangers are 0-1 on this brief 3-G homestand against Oakland, the club’s only home games against an A.L. West opponent until June (6/2-4 vs. SEA)…TEX finished 11-8 vs. OAK in 2022, club’s most wins against any opponent, securing a season series victory for 1st time since 2016 (10-9)…TEX had dropped season series in previous 5 straight seasons, 2017-21…TEX went 3-1-2 in 6 series vs. OAK in ‘22…have lost 4 of 6, but have won 13 of 22 and 15 of last 26 vs. the Swingin’ A’s dating to 8/13/21…team has a 20- 19 edge since start of 2021…TEX is 12-14 vs. OAK all-time at GLF (3-4 in 2020, 5-5 in 2021, 5-4 in 2022, 0-1 in 2023).
PEAGLE POWER: The Rangers are scheduled to wear the club’s new Nike City Connect uniforms for the 1st time over the first 2 games of this weekend series…the club is scheduled to wear the new threads for every Friday home game the rest of the season, as tonight will mark the only non-Friday game in which the club will don its City Connects in 2023.
ALL IN THE MARGINS: Despite last night’s one-run loss, the Rangers’ current +42 run differential is 2nd-best in A.L. and 3rd-best in MLB (+84 by TB, +48 by CHC)…it is the 4th-best 19-G run differential in team history to only 2012 (+55), 1998 (+48), and 1996 (+46)…the club’s highest run differential thru the first 20 G of a season? +51 in 2012.
PUT 30 ON ‘EM: The Rangers have out-scored the opposition by a 41-11 (+30) margin during the current 4-1 span, the club’s highest run differential over any 5-G stretch since 4/17-21-G2/12 (+30)…a look below at offense for TEX and opponents over the last 5 G:
R HR BA w/ RISP OPS BB
Texas 41 7 .265 22-44 .798 24
Opponents 11 3 .186 2-29 .553 17
A MANAGER’S BEST FRIEND: Jonah Heim’s 3-R HR in the 1st inning last night was the Rangers’ 6th HR of 3-or-4 runs over its last 5 G, as TEX has at least one such HR in all 5 contests during that span…that stretch matches a club record for most consecutive games with a HR of 3-or-4
runs (2x, also 7/30-8/3/03)…11 of the Rangers’ 22 HR this season have gone for 3-or-4 runs, easily the most in MLB (11-TEX, 7-TB, 6-LAD/MIN)…6 different Rangers have accounted for those 11 HR: 3-Heim, 2-Garver/García/Semien; 1-Grossman, Jung…3 of Heim’s 4 HR in 2023 have been 3-run blasts, tied with LAD’s Max Muncy and MIN’s Joey Gallo for the most HR of 3-or-4 runs in MLB.
HEIM TIME: Jonah Heim’s 3-run blast last night was his 4th HR of the season, tied with Adolis García and Marcus Semien for the team lead…all 4 of Heim’s HR this season have come as a catcher, tied for the most by any Major League backstop in 2023 (also ATL’s Sean Murphy, LAA’s Logan O’Hoppe, and TB’s Christian Bethancourt)…since the start of 2022, Heim’s 20 HR as a catcher are T3rd-most in MLB:
TONIGHT’S STARTING PITCHER – #44 Andrew Heaney, LHP (1-1, 4.97)
TONIGHT: The 31-year-old left-hander is scheduled to make his 4th start/appearance of the season in game 2 of 3 against the Oakland Athletics…was scoreless in last outing on Sun. at HOU (ND, 5.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R-ER, 3 BB, 4 SO, 88 pitches/50 strikes), helping the Rangers to a 9-1 victory over the ‘Stros on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball…has no ER allowed in last 2 starts (1 R-0 ER/10.0 IP) to drop his season ERA from 23.63 to 4.97…notched 1st win of Texas career on 4/10 vs. KC (W, 5.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R-ER, 2 BB, 10 SO, 93 pitches/56 strikes)…also set a new Rangers’ record with 9 successive strikeouts in same game, which matched the American League record…will be making his 3rd start of the season at Globe Life Field…is one of 3 rotation member to make his Rangers debut in a start this season (also deGrom, Eovaldi), and he was the 26th and final member of TEX’s Opening Day roster to appear in 2023…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…from 2019-22, ranked among Major League pitchers (min. 350.0 IP) in strikeouts per 9 innings (9th, 11.07), swing-and-miss strike pct. (14th, 13.8%), strikeout pct. (15th, 28.8%), and strikeout-to-walk ratio (21st, 4.11)…the 9-year MLB veteran has appeared in 139 games/128 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.
SATURDAY NIGHT FIVE: Heaney has logged 5.0+ IP while allowing 0 ER in each of his last 2 GS (4/10 vs. KC and 4/16 at HOU), the 1st time of his career to do so in consecutive outings…he is the only Ranger starter this season to accomplish such feat in back-to-back starts, and 1st Texas starter to do it since Jon Gray (7/13-21/22 vs. OAK and at MIA)…the last Rangers starting pitcher to pull the trick in 3+ straight appearances? Yovani Gallardo from 6/15-7/2/15 (4 straight starts)… Heaney has held opposing hitters to a .118 BA (4-for-34) over those 2 games.
VS. OAKLAND: has gone 2-4, 4.44 (26 ER/52.2 IP) in 9 career games/starts vs. Oakland and is winless in last 6 GS vs. A’s (0-3, 4.81) dating back to most recent win on 8/28/17 vs. OAK w/ LAA (W, 6.0 IP, 1 R-ER)…owns a 1-1 record with a 8.22 ERA (7 ER/7.2 IP) in 4 career starts at Globe Life Field, where he has tossed at least 5.0 innings on 4 occasions…Jesus Aguilar has a hit in both of his career at-bats against Heaney, including a home run…Heaney has hurled 5.0+ innings in 7 of 9 starts overall against Oakland.
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 becomes 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).
