PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES NOTES:
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TEXAS RANGERS NOTES:
A 2-0 START: Texas has opened a season with back-to-back wins for the 1st time since 2011, when the club won 6 straight to begin a pennant-winning campaign…in both 2021 and 2022, TEX had lost each of its 1st 2 games of the year…the Rangers are seeking to win the 1st 3 games of a season for just the 9th time in team history (see chart below).
• The Rangers sit 2 games above .500 for the 1st time since 8/8/19 (58-56, .509)…club has not been 3-over .500 since a 58-55 mark after losing 1st game of a doubleheader on 8/7/19 at CLE.
LONGEST SEASON-OPENING WIN STREAKS,
TEXAS HISTORY
G Year G Year
7 1996 4 1992
6 1979 3 1983
6 2011 3 1993
4 1977 3 2009
STANDINGS: The Rangers began the day alone in 1st place in the A.L. West, holding a 0.5-game lead over Houston… it marks the 1st time for Texas to be alone atop the West since the final day of team’s division-winning season in 2016 (10/2/16), as club won the division by 9.0 games…from 2017- 22, the Rangers had one day with even a share of 1st place in the West (1-0 on 7/24/20, tied for division lead).
A SERIES WIN: The Rangers have secured a series win to open a season for the 1st time since 2019 (won final 2 G of 3-G series 3/28-31 vs. CHC)…this is just the 2nd time in the last 9 seasons (beg. 2015) for TEX to be victorious in a season’s 1st series…2 of last 3 times that TEX has opened a season with a series win, it came against PHI (also 2014).
• The Rangers went undefeated in a series of 3+ games just one time in 2022: 5/16-18/22 vs. LAA (3-0)…there have been just 6 occasions in team history for Texas to win all games of a season-opening series of 3-or-more contests:
RANGERS WINNING ALL GAMES OF FIRST SERIES OF
A SEASON, 3 GAMES-OR-MORE
Year Detail
1977 3-game series at Baltimore
1983 3-game series vs. Chicago-AL
1992 4-game series at Seattle
1996 3-game series vs. Boston
2009 3-game series vs. Cleveland
2011 3-game series vs. Boston
Note that this list does not include 1979, when TEX won its only game at DET and then went 3-0 vs. CLE in Arlington.
VS. PHILADELPHIA: The Rangers have won 11 straight vs. PHI beginning 4/1/14…the 11-G win streak is the Rangers’ longest ever vs. an N.L. opponent (prev. 7-0 vs. STL, 6/21/13-5/17/19)…it is also one of the 6 longest win streaks that Texas has ever had against any opponent (see chart)… the Rangers went 4-0 last year against the eventual N.L. champs…last year’s 4-0 finish vs. PHI marked just 3rd time in Washington/Texas franchise history (since 1961) to go 4-0 or better against one opponent in a season (12-0 vs. MIN in 1999, 6-0 vs. DET in 2019)…TEX leads all-time, 14-7…TEX is 11-2 vs. PHI in Arlington, winning 9 straight.
LONGEST WIN STREAKS VS. ONE OPPONENT,
RANGERS HISTORY (since 1972)
No. games/Opp/Dates
13 vs. OAK, July 6, 1977-May 18, 1978
13 vs. CLE, April 26, 1978-April 17, 1979
13 vs. MIN, Sept. 7, 1998-Sept. 15, 1999
12 vs. HOU, July 7, 2013-April 11, 2014
12 vs. KC, July 23, 2016-July 15, 2017
11 vs. PHI, April 1, 2014-current
YOU LOVE TO SEE IT: Marcus Semien hit a leadoff HR yesterday, just the 2nd ever by a Texas batter at Globe Life Field (also Willie Calhoun on 10/2/21 vs. CLE)…Semien now has 15 career leadoff HR, including 3 as a Ranger.
DON’T MESS WITH TEXAS: The Rangers have scored 27 runs through 2 G, easily the highest total in MLB entering today’s games (LAD were next w/ 19 R thru 3 G)…Rangers entered Sunday with 2 of the 4 highest single-game run totals in MLB in ‘23, including the high of 16 R yesterday vs. PHI…the 16 R were Rangers’ most at home since 9/2/18 vs. MIN (18-4 win), and most ever by any one team in a game at Globe Life Field (regular or postseason)…it is also T2nd-most runs ever by a team in its 1st 2 G of a season (see chart).
• The 27 R are the most by TEX over any 2-G span since plating 29 R on 4/27-28/19 at SEA (15-1 and 14-1 wins).
• The 27 R in Bruce Bochy’s 1st 2 G as Rangers manager are T2nd-most in any such instance in modern era: 30 R by 1951 CWS (Paul Richards), 27 R by 1978 MIL (George Bamberger) – credit Elias/Sarah Langs.
MOST RUNS IN 1ST 2 GAMES OF SEASON, MODERN ERA
R Year/Team
30 1951 Chicago White Sox
27 1974 Kansas City Royals
27 1978 Milwaukee Brewers
27 1980 Milwaukee Brewers
27 2023 Texas Rangers
MITCH MASH: Mitch Garver hit a pair of 3-R HR yesterday, matching his career high with 6 RBI (also 9/28/18 vs. CWS)…marked the most RBI by a Ranger in a single game since Rougned Odor on 9/28/19 vs. NYY (also 6 RBI), and the first 6+ RBI game by a Texas backstop since Mike Napoli
on 9/30/12 vs. LAA-G2 (also 2 HR, 6 RBI)…it was also just the 2nd game of 6+ RBI ever at Globe Life Field (reg. or postseason), the other was by SD’s Fernando Tatis Jr. on 8/17/20 (7 RBI)…the only other TEX catcher to hit multiple HR in his season debut? Iván Rodríguez on 4/3/00 vs. CWS (2 HR).
THREE’S COMPANY?: With Mitch Garver’s 2 blasts yesterday, and Robbie Grossman’s shot on Opening Day, the Rangers have a MLB-high 3 three-run HR or grand slams in
2023…the rest of MLB has 6: 2-LAD, 1-BAL/CIN/COL/SEA…TEX had a total of 20 such HR in 2022, 10th-fewest in MLB.
INTERLEAGUE: The Rangers have won 13 of last 18 Interleague games beg. 4/30/22…club was 11-9 (.550) vs. N.L. in 2022 after 4 straight losing seasons from 2018-21…TEX has also won 7 of last 9 at home vs. N.L. clubs…as a result of this year’s balanced schedule for all 30 clubs – a first since Interleague play was introduced in 1997 – the Rangers are slated to play a record 46 Interleague contests in 2023.
ESPN SUNDAY NIGHT BASEBALL: Tonight marks the Rangers’ 1st Globe Life Field appearance on ESPN Sunday Night Baseball…last Rangers appearance came on 4/15/18 at HOU, a memorable 3-1, 10-inning TEX win in which Rangers starter Bartolo Colon took a perfect game into the 8th inning…last time on SNB in Arlington?: 5/19/13 vs. DET, an 11-8 TEX loss in which Miguel Cabrera hit 3 HR.
PITCHERS PARK?: The 1st 2 games of the season in Arlington have featured combined run totals of 18 (11-7 on Thurs.) and 19 (16-3 on Sat.)…over the 1st 3 seasons at Globe Life Field (2020-22, reg. season only), the park featured a total of just 5 games with combined runs of 18-or-more…yesterday’s 19 R were T2nd-most ever at this facility (21 R in 14-7 loss on 7/12/22 vs. OAK; 19 R in 13-6 loss on 6/22/21 vs. OAK).
CLOSED!: With the forecast for potential severe storms in the area today, the Globe Life Field roof is expected to be closed for tonight’s game…each of the 1st 2 games of this series began with the roof open…in Thursday’s opener, the roof was closed in the top of the 4th inning due to rain in the area.
TONIGHT’S STARTING PITCHER – #54 Martín Pérez, RHP
TODAY: The 32-year-old left-hander is scheduled to make his season debut in the third and last game of this season-opening series in Arlington tonight…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 Texas from 2008-18, and has now been with the organization for 12 of his 15 years as a pro…left the club for three years for brief stints with Minnesota (2019) and
Boston (2020-21)…has a 55-57 record with a 4.28 ERA over 173 games/160 starts in his Rangers career, ranking among all-time Texas leaders in starts (7th), wins (T11th), and strikeouts (13th, 631)…since 2016, his first full campaign after returning from ‘Tommy John’ surgery, he has the 2nd-most starts (175) and innings (1023.2) 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, and also missed time in 2018 after suffering a broken right (non-throwing) elbow.
SEASON DEBUT NOTES: Has produced a 2-5 record and a 5.80 ERA (33 ER/51.2 IP) in 11 season-debut games pitched (nine starts)…has logged at least 5.0 IP in eight of his nine season debut starts…..took a loss in his season-debut last year on 4/12//22 vs. COL (4.0 IP, 7 H, 3 R-ER, 1 BB, 2 HB, 2 SO, 68 pitches/43 strikes)…allowed two runs in the third inning after starting the inning holding a 1-0 lead…exited the game in the 5th inning with Texas down 3-1 after pitching to two batters and allowing one run in the frame.
VS. PHILADELPHIA: Boasts a lifetime 3-1 record and 3.14 ERA (15 ER/43.0 IP) in eight career games (seven starts) against the Phillies…went undefeated (1-0) in his two starts vs. Philadelphia last season, not allowing a run to score in 13.0 innings, along with 10 hits, 7 walks and 10 strikeouts…Philadelphia batters had a .222 average (10-for-45) average against him last year…lasted at least six innings in both starts against the Phillies last season…since 2021, he owns a 2-1 record with a 2.38 ERA (6 ER/22.2 IP) in four starts against the Phils, giving up 21 hits (three home runs) and 10 walks, along with 21 strikeouts.
SPRING TRAINING: Registered a 1-0 record, a 2.45 ERA (3 ER/11.0 IP), and one walk against 9 strikeouts over three ‘A’ game starts in Cactus League play this spring…started on Tues. vs. KC (ND, 5.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R-ER, 1 BB, 5 SO, 1 HR, 70 pitches/49 strikes), the second of two Rangers exhibition games against the Royals at Globe Life Field this week…also pitched in a minor league game against the Kansas City Royals system on 3/23, allowing two runs on three hits (one home run), along with a walk and five strikeouts.
Date Opp. Dec. ERA IP H R ER BB SO HR P/S
2/27 at CIN W 3.00 3.0 3 1 1 0 1 0 —
3/4 at CWS — 3.00 3.0 4 2 1 0 3 1 —
3/23 vs. KC (AAA) — — 4.0 3 2 2 2 8 1 73/47
3/28 vs. KC W — 5.0 2 1 1 1 5 1 —
‘A’ Totals 1-0 2.45 11.0 9 4 3 1 9 2 —
AT HOME / IN GLOBE LIFE FIELD: Owns a 5-5 record with a 2.85 ERA (31 ER/98.0 IP) in 17 career starts at Globe Life Field…has lasted at least five-ormore innings in his last 14-consecutive starts at home…at Globe Life Park, he went 27-20 with a 4.33 ERA (198 ER/411.2 IP) in 76 games (69 starts)…has not allowed a home run in his last five starts at home dating back to 8/14/22.
2022: Pérez produced career bests in ERA (2.89), strikeouts (169), and WHIP (1.258) while being selected to the All-Star Game for the first time…just 3rd MLB pitcher since 2013 to post first career qualifying sub-3.00 ERA in his 11th-or-later MLB season, joining José Quintana (2.93 in 2022) and John Lackey (2.77 in 2015) – credit Elias Sports Bureau…voted American League Pitcher of the Month for May, his 1st career monthly award and 1st Ranger to receive it since Matt Harrison in June 2012…went 4-0, 0.64 ERA (3 ER/42.1 IP) in 6 starts in May (TEX went 6-0)…it was the 2nd-lowest ERA in club history for any month by a Texas pitcher with 5+ starts (Yovani Gallardo, 0.54 in June 2015)…posted his 4th career CG and 3rd career CG SHO on 5/20 at HOU, 1st CG SHO by a Ranger since Kyle Gibson on 9/16/20 at HOU…retired final 16 BF to end outing on 5/31 vs. TB after being struck in right leg by a line drive in the 2nd inn…over 15 starts from 5/10- 7/29, produced a career-best streak of 9 straight winning decisions, T4th-longest win streak in Rangers history (12-Cole Hamels, 2015-16; 12-Bobby Witt, 1990; 11-Fergie Jenkins, 1978-79; 9-Pérez, 2022; 9-Kenny Rogers, 2005), T2nd-longest single-season streak, and T2nd-longest by a left-hander…from 4/23-8/3,
had streak of 19 consecutive starts without taking a loss, which is tied for longest run in Washington/Texas franchise history (also Hamels in 2015-16), as Pérez owns longest single-season unbeaten streak ever by a Texas starter…the 9-G win streak was T2nd-longest in the A.L. and T4th-longest in MLB in 2022…last season marked his fifth career 10-win season, four of which have come with Texas, including a career-high 13 victories in 2017.
