TEXAS RANGERS NOTES:
WINS AND LOSSES: Texas defeated the Orioles last night, 12-2, and now own a 3-1 record on this 9-G, 10-day road trip to PIT (2-1), BAL (1-0 + 2 G) and DET (3 G)…TEX has won 3 straight and is 4-1 in their last 5 G…TEX has won 7 of 9, 9 of 12, 11 of 15 and 14 of last 19 G…TEX is an MLB-best 18-7 (.720) in last 25 G beg. 4/28…TEX is 18-11 in last 28 G, but still 25-13 in last 38 G and 28-14 in last 42 G beg. 4/9.
- At 32-18 (.640), TEX owns the 3rd-best record in the A.L. and MLB (see chart below)…club’s 32 wins rank 3rd in A.L. and MLB (38-TB, 33-BAL, 32-TEX, 31-ATL/LAD).
- The 32-18 start marks Rangers’ best 50-G start to a season since 2013 (32-18), and is tied for best start in club history.
- Club would have a 32-18 record with a win tonight, which would be tied for the best 50-G start in team history (also ’13).
- TEX is a season high 14 G above .500…it is the 1st time since the end of 2016 (95-67) that the team is 14-over…from 2020-22, TEX spent a total of one day above .500 (10-9 on 8/15/20)…club did not reach 32 wins in 2022 until 6/21.
BEST RECORDS IN MLB, 2023
Win Pct. Team W-L
.717 Tampa Bay 38-15
.647 Baltimore 33-18
.640 Texas 32-18
.608 Atlanta 31-20
WITH A WIN TODAY, Texas could:
- Climb to a season-best 15 G above .500 for the 1st time since the end of the 2016 season.
- Move to 33-18, which would be the best 51-G start in team history (see chart above).
- Earn a series win, moving club to 11-2-1 in last 13 series, a 7-2-0 record in 9 road series.
- Win a 5th-straight road series…it would mark the Rangers’ 1st time winning 5-consecutive road series since 5/20- 6/19/16 at HOU/CLE/SEA/OAK/STL.
- Win their 8th-consecutive day game (improve to a 15-4 record in 2023).
STANDINGS: Rangers hold a 3.0-game lead in the A.L. West over 2nd-place HOU for the 3rd-consecutive day…3-G lead in A.L. West is the 2nd-largest division lead in A.L. (TB, +4.0 GA of BAL) and 3rd-largest in MLB (ATL, +4.5 GA of NYM)… club held a lead of 2+ G in the division for 14-straight days (5/7-21), which was snapped after Mon. loss at PIT…TEX has had sole possession of 1st place in the West for 21 straight, 28 of 29, and 41 of the last 43 days beg. 4/14…season-best +4.0-G lead on 5/14 was largest since end of 2016 (+9.0 GA), just 6th season in TEX history to have a lead of 4.0+ G in the West as early as 5/14…TEX has been alone or tied atop the division for 56 of the season’s first 57 days (exception: 4/8).
SERIES STUFF: Club has gone 6-1-1 in last 8 series and 10- 2-1 in last 13…team is 11-4-1 overall in series this year, going 6-2-1 at home 5-2-0 on the road…club did not win an 11th series in 2022 until 7/11-13 vs. OAK…TEX won 4 straight series 4/10-23, longest such span since going 5-0-0 from 6/15- 7/1/18…team has won all games of a series 3 times during this campaign (3-0, 3/30-4/2 vs. PHI; 3-0, 4/17-19 at KC; 3-0, 5/19-21 vs. COL)…club is 6-2-0 in last 8 series on the road.
VS. BALTIMORE: TEX continues 2nd and final series of ’23 vs. BAL today…club is 2-2 vs. BAL after TEX won yesterday and BAL took 2 of 3 in Arlington from 4/3-5…TEX has lost 8 of 10 against the O’s dating back to the start of ’22, including an 0-6 showing last season, which was the first winless campaign against an A.L. opponent in WAS/TEX franchise history…TEX is 5-12 vs. BAL since start of ’21…BAL leads at Camden Yards (71-64-1) and all-time series (273-220-1).
LONG ROAD: TEX is 3-1 in 1st 4 games of a 9-G, 10-day road trip that takes the team thru the end of May…marks the Rangers’ 2nd-consecutive 3-city road trip (7-3 from 5/5-14 at LAA/SEA/OAK), and the 2nd of a trio of 3-city trips in 2023 (also 8/21-30 at ARI/MIN/NYM)…team has won 7 of 9 and 10 of 13 on road after a season-long 4-G away losing skid.
- Club is 16-10 (.615) on road, 2nd-best away win pct. in A.L., 3rd in MLB…club has won 4 straight road series for 1st time since 9/9/16-4/13/17 at LAA/HOU/OAK/LAA.
ROSTER MOVES: The Texas Rangers announced the following roster moves prior to today’s game in Baltimore:
- RHP Dane Dunning placed on MLB’s Paternity Leave List.
- INF/OF Ezequiel Duran placed on 10-day Injured List, retroactive to Wednesday, with mild right oblique discomfort.
- OF Travis Jankowski activated from 10-day Injured List.
- LHP Cody Bradford recalled from Round Rock (AAA).
ON THE OFFENSIVE: TEX continues to lead MLB w/ 6.44 R/G and 322 R…club has 10+ R in an MLB-leading 13 G and has scored 5+ R in an inning 15 times this season…ranks T2nd w/ 4+ R in 36 G…team leads MLB w/ a 144 R in May, along with a .286 BA and .812 OPS.
- The 322 runs scored by TEX in ’23 are the most over the first 50 G of a season in franchise history, and is T18th-most R in a team’s 1st 50 G of a season since 1901.
- The Rangers’ season-best +122 run differential is tops in MLB, and is the 11th-highest run diff. in a team’s 1st 50 G of a season since 1900 (h/t Sarah Langs).
- Club has a homer in 9 straight road games (13 total HR), the longest away run in ’23.
COUNT ON SEMIEN: Marcus Semien yesterday extended his hitting streak to a season high 15 games, which is currently tops in the A.L. for active hitting streak, T2nd in MLB… his 15-G hitting streak is the longest season hit streak by a Ranger in ’23 (previously Grossman from 4/16-5/6 and Heim from 4/30-5/16)…club now owns an MLB-best 4 of the 16 individual hit streaks of 13+ games in Majors in 2023.
- Semien has hits in 21 of 22 G in May at .330/.396/.532/.928, along with a 23-G on-base streak…he has also reached base via H/BB in 25-straight road games…is batting .300/.381/.555/.935 (33-110) w/ 7 HR and 28 RBI in 26 G on the road in ‘23.
DOUBLE TROUBLE: 4 of the 8 hits in the 4th inn. yesterday came from Josh Jung and Josh Smith…the 1st time that TEX has had 2 players record 2 H in an inning since 5/23/15 at NYY (3rd inning, Shin-Soo Choo & Prince Fielder).
THE GRAY WOLF: Jon Gray won a career high 4th-consecutive start last night after tossing an ultra quality start (7.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R-ER, 1 HR, 1 BB, 8 SO)…he is the 1st Rangers pitcher to win 4-straight starts since Taylor Hearn turned the trick from 8/24-9/12/21…during his current 5-game winning streak (dating back to 4/9): 5-0, 2.81 ERA (16 ER/51.1 IP), 17 BB-39 SO and 4 quality starts…the 5-G winning streak also ties a career high for Gray (also 6/22-9/1/18 w/ COL).
HEANEY ON THE BUMP: Andrew Heaney has posted quality starts in 3 straight and 5 of last 6 outings…his 5 QS in ’23 are T2nd-most in club (7-Eovaldi, 5-Gray)…3-2, 2.98 ERA (15 ER/45.1 IP) and 50 SO/18 BB in last 8 starts, dropping his season ERA from 23.63 to 4.13…LHP have a .074 BA (2-27) vs. Heaney this season, including 0-for-last-18 (7 SO/3 BB).
SHORTS: Corey Seager hit his 3rd-career grand slam yesterday, 1st as a Ranger (last done on 5/12/19 vs. WAS w/LAD)…Robbie Grossman launched his 6th HR of the season yesterday, already equaling his HR mark from 2022…Josh Jung extended his hitting streak to 9 G, 2nd in the A.L…TEX is currently riding a 7-game winning streak in day games (14- 4 overall), as club ranks 1st in MLB in day game R (148) and R/G (8.22).
TODAY’S STARTING PITCHER – #44 Andrew Heaney, LHP
(3-3, 4.13)
TODAY: The 31-year-old left-hander is scheduled to make his 10th appearance/ start of the season this afternoon in the 2nd bout of this 3-game series at Camden Yards…has posted quality starts in 3 straight and 5 of his last 6 outings, as 5 QS this season are T2nd-most among TEX pitchers (7-Eovaldi, 5-Gray/Heaney)… has gone 3-2 with a 2.98 ERA (15 ER/45.1 IP), 50 SO/18 BB, and a .191 opp. BA (31-162) in his last 8 starts, dropping his season ERA from 23.63 to season-low 4.13…left-handed batters have a .074 BA (2-27) vs. Heaney this season, including 0-for-last-18 (7 SO/3 BB)…enters today’s scheduled outing ranked among A.L. pitchers (min. 40.0 IP) in opp. BA (11th, .215) and SO/9 (17th, 9.75)… will work today on extra 5 days’ rest after earning the win in his last start on Sun. vs. COL (see ‘Last Start’)…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…the 9-year MLB veteran has appeared in 144 games/133 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…Texas has gone 5-4 in Heaney’s 9 starts this season.
AS OF LATE: After surrendering season-high 7 R-ER in his Rangers debut on 4/4 vs. BAL (L, 2.2 IP, 7 R-ER), Heaney has gone 3-2 with a 2.98 ERA (15 ER/45.1 IP), 50 SO/18 BB, and a .191 opp. BA (31-162) in his last 8 starts…that stretch has cut his season ERA from a season-high 23.63 to season low point of 4.13… he ranks among A.L. pitchers over that period (min. 40.0 IP since 4/10) in opp. BA (T6th), H/9 (7th, 6.15), ERA (11th), and SO/9 (14th, 9.93).
TOUGH ON LEFT: Left-handed batters have slashed .074/.219/.111/.330 (2-27) with just one extra-base hit (2B) against Heaney in 2023, incl. 0-for-last-18 (7 SO/3 BB)…his .074 (2-27) opp. BA allowed vs. lefties is the 4th-lowest mark in MLB (min. 30 LHB faced) and lowest among pitchers with at least one start in ‘23…last hit allowed to a LHB was a single by Yordan Alvarez on 4/16 at HOU.
LAST START: Earned the win in his last start on Sun. vs. COL (W, 6.0 IP, 6 H, 1 R-0 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO, 95 pitches/63 strikes), a 13-3 Rangers win…loaded the bases with none out in the top of the 2nd (1B-BB-1B), but escaped the jam unscathed after retiring the next 2 batters he faced via strikeout and GIDP (1-2-3)… held Colorado scoreless until the 6th inning when the Rockies plated their first run fielder’s choice/throwing error by 1B Nathaniel Lowe.
VS. BALTIMORE: Heaney has gone 1-3 with a 9.51 ERA (25 ER/23.2 IP) in 6 G/5 GS vs. Baltimore in his career…took loss in his 2023 season debut on 4/4 vs. BAL (L, 2.2 IP, 7 H, 7 R-ER, 2 BB, 2 SO, 2 HR) as part of a 7-2 Texas defeat at Globe Life Field…5 of 7 runs allowed in that outing came via home runs by Ryan Mountcastle (3-R) and Jorge Mateo (2-R)…today’s start will be only his 2nd career appearance here at Camden Yards, as he has not pitched at this venue since a start on 8/18/17 at BAL w/ LAA (ND, 5.0 IP, 7 H, 5 R-ER, 0 BB, 5 SO, 4 HR)…permitted career high-tying 4 home runs in that start, as both teams combined for 10 HR (5-BAL, 5-LAA) in a 9-7 win for the Orioles…Heaney’s 12 career HR allowed vs. BAL are his 3rd-most against any MLB club (19-SEA, 17-TEX).
ON THE ROAD: Heaney has seen far better results in his 3 starts on the road (0-1, 2.04 ERA) than in his 6 starts in Arlington (3-2, 5.34 ERA) this season, but is still seeking his first away win as a Ranger…opposing hitters have slashed .161/.257/.242/.499 (10-62) with just one HR in his away outings vs. .243/.333/.470/.803 (28-115) with 7 HR at Globe Life Field in 2023…since the start of last season, he is 2-2, 2.26 ERA (13 ER/51.2 IP) over his last 11 appearances/10 starts on the road.
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 became 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).
2023: Opponents are batting .215 (38-177) w/ 8 HR, including a .074 (2-27) mark with one XBH (2B) for LH batters…16 of 25 runs allowed in ‘23 have come in the 2nd (9) or 3rd (7) inning…opp. BA/OPS by time through lineup: 1st (.273/.804), 2nd (.178/.606), 3rd (.184/.665)…4.07 pitches per batter faced figure is 9th-highest in A.L. (min. 40.0 IP)…ranks 17th among A.L. pitchers (min. 40.0 IP) in SO/9 (9.75) and SO pct. (25.7%)…8 HR allowed are tied for most among Rangers (also Gray/Pérez), T19th-most among A.L. pitchers…Jonah Heim has caught 6 starts (1.56 ERA), Sandy León has caught 2 starts (7.59 ERA), and Mitch Garver caught season debut on 4/4 vs. BAL (2.2 IP, 7 R-ER)…Heaney has a 1.56 ERA (6 ER/34.2 IP) and one HR allowed when working with Heim this season, 10.99 ERA (16 ER/13.1 IP) w/ 7 HR allowed with all other TEX catchers.
BALTIMORE ORIOLES NOTES:
YESTERDAY’S NEWS: The Orioles fell to the Rangers, 12-2, last night at Oriole Park… Adley Rutschman homered in the first inning and reached base four times, finishing 3-for-3 with a walk…Austin Hays tallied his team-leading 16th multi-hit effort of the season after going 2-for-4 with a double. Rutschman homered on a 3-0 pitch for the first time in his career.
The 10-run defeat is the worst by the O’s since they lost 11-0 on September 19, 2022 vs. Detroit.
CLOSE ENCOUNTERS: Of Baltimore’s 51 games this season, 46 have been decided by four or fewer runs, the most in MLB…The O’s have gone 30-16 in those games, the most wins in MLB and second-best winning percentage (.652), behind Tampa Bay (.657, 23-12)…The O’s also have the most wins (21-12) and second-best winning percentage (.636) in games decided by three or fewer runs.
FEELS GOOD TO BE HOME: The O’s kicked off a six-game homestand last night with the first of three games against the Rangers through Sunday…The O’s will then host the Guardians for three games from May 29-31…The Birds are 15-9 (.625) in Baltimore and own the third-best home winning percentage in the AL and fourth-best in MLB.
TAKING ON TEXAS: The O’s are facing the Rangers for the second and final time this season…The Birds took two out of three from the Rangers at Globe Life Field from April 3-5…The Orioles won eight straight games against Texas from July 4, 2022 to April 4, 2023, their longest winning streak against a single opponent since also winning eight in a row against the Mariners from July 3 to September 19, 2012…Baltimore went 6-0 against Texas last season, their first sweep of a season series against a single opponent since 2020 against the Phillies (3-0) and their first season sweep of at least six games against a single opponent since 2010 against Los Angeles-AL (6-0)… Marked Baltimore’s first season sweep of any length against Texas, and the first time the Rangers had ever been swept in a season series by an AL opponent.
WHAT’S TRENDING: The O’s have won 24 of their last 35 games, 27 of 39, and 29 of 42… The 33-18 overall record ranks second in MLB to start the season…Entering today, the Rays (38-15), Rangers (32-18), Braves (31-20), Dodgers (31-21), and Yankees (30-23) are the only other teams with 30 wins this season, while the Rays and Rangers are the only other teams with fewer than 20 losses.
The Orioles are 95-67 in their last 162 games since June 1, 2022; the .586 winning percentage during that time is the second-best in the AL and fourth-best in MLB, trailing the Braves (.669, 109-54), Dodgers (.661, 109-56), and Astros (.636, 103-59).
WRAPPING UP THE ROAD TRIP: The Orioles went 5-1 on their seven-day, six-game road trip, their best road trip by winning percentage (.833) this season, ahead of a 4-1 (.800) trip from April 14-19…The most recent trip began with a three-game sweep of the Jays in Toronto over the weekend…After an off day Monday, the Birds took two of three against the Yankees in the Bronx…The O’s are off to an 18-9 start on the road, tied with the 1987 and 2005 teams for the second-best road start through 27 games in team history (since 1954), behind a 20-7 start in 1969…Baltimore currently owns the most road wins and second-best road winning percentage (.667) in MLB, behind Atlanta (.708, 17-7); the O’s and Braves are the only teams without double-digit road losses so far this season.
WHAT A RELIEF: The Baltimore bullpen owns a 3.05 ERA (66 ER/194.2 IP), the second-best in MLB behind the Yankees (3.04)…O’s relievers have 15 wins this season, tied with Arizona and New York-AL for the most in the majors…The O’s are second in MLB with 229 strikeouts from the ‘pen, trailing Kansas City (237)…Baltimore’s 2.59 ERA (26 ER/90.1 IP) by relievers at home ranks fourth in MLB.
HE GETS ON BASE: Adam Frazier had his career-long 18-game on-base streak since May 6 snapped last night; his previous career high was 17 games from August 20 to September 7, 2019 with the Pirates…It is the longest streak by an O’s batter this season and was the fourth-longest active streak in the AL and seventh-longest active streak in MLB…Frazier slashed .273/.333/.500 (18-for-66) with four doubles, one triple, three home runs, eight runs scored, 13 RBI, five walks, and a stolen base during the streak…Frazier’s season-long eight-game hitting streak since May 17 was also snapped, during which he batted .375/.375/.688 (12-for-32) with two doubles, one triple, two home runs, six runs scored, and seven RBI.
Frazier’s 11.06 plate appearance per strikeout rate is the second-best in the AL and fourth-best in MLB.
He is one of six qualified MLB hitters with more walks than strikeouts (17 BB/16 K), including teammate Adley Rutschman (41 BB/31 K).
GOLD RUTSCH: Adley Rutschman hit his eighth home run of the season last night, third-most among primary catchers this season behind Kansas City’s Salvador Perez (11) and Atlanta’s Sean Murphy (10)…Rutschman didn’t hit his eighth homer last season until his 71st game (68GS) on August 19…Last night was his first multi-hit game since May 13.
He leads the AL and ranks fifth in MLB with 92 times on base this season (51 H, 41 BB); his 41 walks lead the AL and are nine more than the next closest player; only San Diego’s Juan Soto (48) has more base on balls in MLB in 2023.
Rutschman has reached safely at least three times in 14 games this year, most in the AL; he’s also reached safely at least four times in six games, tied with St. Louis’ Lars Nootbaar for the most in MLB.
He is slashing .341/.450/.634 (28-for-82) with three doubles, seven homers, 15 runs, 14 RBI, and 17 walks in 24 games (23GS) at Oriole Park compared to .221/.364/.288 (23-for-104) with four doubles, one home run, 10 runs, 12 RBI, and 24 walks in 27 road games (25GS)
ROSTER MOVES: The Orioles today recalled Keegan Akin from Triple-A Norfolk…In a corresponding move, Grayson Rodriguez was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk after yesterday’s game.
TODAY’S STARTING PITCHER – #64 DEAN KREMER RHP
5-1, 4.61 ERA
QUICK HITS: Slated to appear in his 50th career game tonight; will also be his 11th start of the season, sixth at home, and third career start against the Rangers today…Made a career-high 22 appearances (21 GS) in 2022, 11 appearances at home (10 GS), and 11 on the road…Owned an 8-7 record with a 3.23 ERA (45 ER/125.1 IP) and 87 strikeouts…Made six starts of 5.0-or-more scoreless innings, tied for seventh-most in the AL…Acquired by the Orioles along with INF Breyvic Valera, OF Yusniel Diaz, RHP Zach Pop, and INF Rylan Bannon in exchange for INF Manny Machado on July 18, 2018…Originally selected by the Dodgers in the 14th round of the 2016 First-Year Player Draft out of UNLV.
LAST TIME OUT: Did not factor into the decision in his last start on May 21 at Toronto after allowing one run on nine hits (1 HR) with two walks and career-high-tying seven strikeouts (4x, last: 7/9/22 vs. LAA) in 5.1 innings of work… Threw a season-high 105 pitches, 64 strikes.
AGAINST THE RANGERS: Making his third career start against the Rangers today…Did not factor into the decision in his last start against Texas on July 4, 2022 at Oriole Park…Allowed five runs on eight hits (1 HR) with two walks and four strikeouts in 4.2 innings of work…Threw 92 pitches, 61 strikes…Has pitched to a 0-0 record with a 5.79 ERA (6 ER/9.1 IP) through his first two starts against the Rangers.
AGAINST THE AL WEST: Making his 12th career start against the AL West… Owns a 4-0 record with a 3.00 ERA (21 ER/63.0 IP) and five quality starts through his first 11 starts against the division…Earned the win in his last start against the AL West on May 16 vs. Los Angeles-AL, allowing three runs on six hits (1 HR) with four strikeouts in 5.2 innings…Issued zero walks in a start for the second time this season (also: 4/18 at WSH)…Threw 95 pitches, 63 strikes…Tossed his first career shutout and complete game on September 23, 2022 vs. Houston.
HOME COOKING: Has gone 3-0 with a 5.06 ERA (15 ER/26.2 IP) in five home starts this season…Earned the win in his last start at Oriole Park on May 16 vs. Los Angeles-AL…Owns a 7-7 record with a 4.32 ERA (63 ER/131.1 IP) and eight quality starts through his first 25 career home appearances (24 starts).
‘KREM’ OF THE CROP: Had his career-high scoreless streak snapped at 22.2 innings on July 4, 2022 vs. Texas…Marks the longest scoreless streak by an Orioles starter since Mike Mussina pitched 27.0 scoreless innings from September 21, 1995 to April 2, 1996…The last Orioles pitcher with a scoreless streak of at least 22.2 innings was Steve Johnson, who tossed 25.1 scoreless frames across eight games (three starts) from August 25 to September 29, 2012.
