TEXAS RNAGERS NOTES:
WINS AND LOSSES: Texas dropped the 2nd game of the series yesterday against Houston, 2-8, after winning its 1st A.L. West divisional game of the season on Fri., 6-2…club has won 3 of last 5 G and now has a 5-6 record since a 3-0 start…team has been .500-or-better following every game in 2023…the current 8-6 record is the Rangers’ best 14-G start since 2016 (8-6), and a 3-win improvement over last year’s 5-9 start…team opened the 2023 campaign with a 3-0 record for just the 9th time in Rangers history, the longest season-opening win streak since 2011 (6-0).
STANDINGS: The Rangers retained 1st place in the A.L. West on Fri. (7th day overall in ‘23) after having being tied for sole possession of 1st place for 2 straight days with the Angels…TEX has been alone or tied atop the division for 15 of the season’s first 16 days, including 9 straight to begin the year…marks latest point for the club to own even a share of 1st place in the West since the final day of team’s division-winning season in 2016 (10/2/16).
• 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).
VS. HOUSTON: Texas is now 1-1 vs. Houston this season after last night’s loss…with win on Fri., TEX defeated HOU in the 1st game of a series at Minute Maid Park for the 1st time since a 6-5 win on 9/1/20…TEX wraps up their 1st series with HOU tonight in the quest for the 2023 Lone Star Series Silver Boot…will play HOU during 3 more series due to the new scheduling format introduced this year (4 G vs. HOU, 6/30- 7/3; 3 G at HOU, 7/24-26; 3 G vs. HOU, 9/4-6)…club went 5-14 against HOU in 2022…TEX has lost 3 of 5, 7 of 10 and 11 of 15 G against the Astros…club has lost season series last 2 years and owns a 1-5 season series record in last 6 years…TEX has gone 6-30 (.167) in last 36 G in HOU dating back to the beg. of 2019, the lowest win pct. by any team at any venue (min. 15 G) over that span, losing 10 consecutive series here since winning a 3-G sweep, 7/27-29/18…Rangers are just 36-71 (.336) vs. HOU since the start of 2017.
SERIES STUFF: Texas is looking for its first road series win of the year tonight after losing 2 of 3 G against the Cubs at Wrigley Field from 4/7-9…it will be the first rubber game played by the club this season…Rangers have not won a road series of at least 3 G since taking 3 of 4 G against the Twins from 8/19-22/22.
ROAD TRIPPING: The Rangers are 2-3 (.400) on the road this season following the current series split with HOU and a series loss to the Cubs from 4/7-9 at Wrigley Field…Texas is scheduled to play 7 of next 10 G on the road…TEX’s 5 road games played are tied with TB for the least played by a team in the Major Leagues so far this season…club went 34-47 (.420) overall in away games last year, winning back-to-back road games just twice over the season’s final 3 months.
OUCH!: Jon Gray had to be removed from last night’s game with a right forearm bruise after he was hit on a liner that came off Yainder Díaz’ bat at 109.3 mph…the team announced that X-rays came back negative and Gray isn’t expected to miss his next start.
OUCH! OUCH!: After getting hit by a 95.2 mph fastball in the top of the 3rd inning by HOU starter Hunter Brown, Josh Smith is now T-1st in MLB with 5 HBP (also Esteury Ruiz, OAK)…Smith had to exit the game on 4/3 vs. BAL after getting hit by a pitch on the right side of his face.
LOWE AND BEHOLD: With another hit last night, 2022 Silver Slugger winner Nathaniel Lowe has now hit safely in each of his last 10 G at .293/.341/.561/.902 (12-41), the longest hit streak by a Ranger this season and 2nd-longest of Lowe’s career…his last longer hitting streak was a career-best 11- game run from 7/25-8/4/22…he now owns a .276 BA (16-for58) with 6 2B, 2 HR and 13 RBI in 16 G played this season.
SPACE JAM: After Adolis García went 1-for-4 yesterday with an RBI, he now owns a .293 career BA (43-for-147) with 16 XBH and 28 RBI vs. HOU…his 10 HR and 28 RBI vs. Astros since the start of ‘21 are most by any player against HOU over that span.
RING FINGER: The Texas Rangers roster 2022 World Series champion Will Smith, who recorded a 3.27 ERA (8 ER/22.0 IP) in 24 G with HOU after being traded for RHP Jake Odorizzi from ATL on 8/2/22…he received his WS ring during pregame yesterday, with HOU manager Dusty Baker presenting his former reliever with the coveted piece of jewelry.
HEAD START: With Martίn Pérez’ line of 5.0 IP and 2 ER on Fri. vs. HOU, Texas starters have allowed 2-or-fewer ER in 7 of last 9 and 9 of 14 G during 2023…Rangers starting pitchers have 10 starts this season of 5.0+ IP with 3-or-fewer ER, T-2nd in the A.L. (also HOU and TB) and trailing only CWS and MIN (11).
• Pérez leads the team with 3 starts this season of the 5.0-ormore IP and 2 ER-or fewer-variety (4/2 vs. PHI and 4/8 at CHC, 4/14 at HOU)…also done twice by deGrom, Eovaldi and Gray.
FAMILIAR FOES: Texas manager Bruce Bochy and Houston manager Dusty Baker will face off for the 194th time in their careers (regular season) during tonight’s game…Bochy’s 111 losses against Baker are his most against an opposing manager…should they both manage tonight’s game, Baker will tie Clint Hurdle for second-most games managed against Bruce Bochy.
BRUCE BOCHY’S MOST COMMON
MANAGERIAL OPPONENTS (REG. SEASON)
Games Opp. Manager Record
210 Bud Black 104-106
194 Clint Hurdle 87-107
193 Dusty Baker 82-111
173 Jim Tracy 96-77
138 Felipe Alou 67-71
WHEN 9TH MEETS 11TH: Bruce Bochy’s passed Hall of Famer Leo Durocher (2,008) for sole possession of 11th all-time on MLB’s all-time managerial wins list after Texas’ win on Tues. vs. KC…tonight’s game will again pit the 9th and 11th winningest managers of all time…Dusty Baker became the 9th manager in Major League history to achieve at least 2,100 career wins after the Astros defeated the Rangers last night.
MANAGERIAL WINS ALL-TIME RANKS
Rank Manager Wins
8 Joe McCarthy 2,125
9 Dusty Baker 2,100
10 Walter Alston 2,040
11 Bruce Bochy 2,011
12 Leo Durocher 2,008
SMILE, YOU’RE ON TV: Tonight marks the Rangers’ 2nd and final scheduled appearance on ESPN Sunday Night Baseball this season…TEX owns a 1-0 record on SNB this year after a 2-1 win against the Phillies on 4/2…last Rangers appearance on SNB before that came on 4/15/18 here at Minute Maid Park, a memorable 3-1, 10-inning TEX win in which Rangers starter Bartolo Colon took a perfect game into the 8th inning.
TONIGHT’S STARTING PITCHER – #44 Andrew Heaney, LHP (1-1, 8.22)
TONIGHT: The 31-year-old left-hander is scheduled to make his 3rd start/appearance of the season in tonight’s series finale against the Houston Astros…will be seeking to follow up on an outstanding performance in his last start against the Royals on 4/10 (W, 5.0 IP, 2 H, R, 2 BB, 10 SO, 93 pitches/56 strikes), where he set various records (see note below)…that performance was an ideal bounce back start after his Texas debut, where he recorded only 8 outs and permitted 7 runs on 4/4 vs. BAL…will be pitching away from Globe Life Field for the 1st time this season…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.
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).
SEASON DEBUT: Took loss on 4/4 vs. BAL in Rangers’ 7-2 defeat (2.2 IP, 7 H, 7 R-ER, 2 BB, 2 SO, 2 HR, 69 pitches)…his 2.2 IP were easily the lowest by a TEX starter in ‘23…posted a scoreless 1st, but gave up a 5-spot in a 34-pitch 2nd inning and made his exit after a Jorge Mateo 2-R HR to deep LF in the 3rd inning…is now 0-4, 5.85 (31 ER/47.2 IP) in his 10 season debuts over the course of his career.
VS. HOUSTON: Is 3-4, 3.54 (24 ER/61.0 IP) over 11 G/GS in his career against the Astros, posting 15 BB/64 SO with 5 HR allowed…owns a 1-3 record with a 4.91 ERA (14 ER/25.2 IP) in 5 career starts at Minute Maid Park, where he has lasted at least 5.0 innings at least 4 times…Heaney has pitched 5.0+ innings in 9 of 11 starts overall against Houston…José Abreu is the Astros batter that has done the most damage against him, with all 4 H (11 AB) given up by Heaney being homers.
NOT-SO-SAFE TRAVELS: Heaney has fared better at home than on the road, with a 14-22 record with a 4.95 ERA (181 ER/329.1 IP) in 66 games/62 starts in his travels…batters average .253 (326-for-1287) against him away from home, compared to a .247 average at friendly confines…Heaney has also allowed 136 ER to A.L. West opponents, at least 51 more runs than the next division (A.L. East, 85 ER).
HOUSTON ASTROS NOTES:
TONIGHT’S GAME: The Houston Astros, the reigning World Series champs, are playing the second rubber game of their young season tonight in their series finale with the Rangers… it’s a matchup of lefties on Sunday Night Baseball, with Astros Opening Day starter LHP Framber Valdez getting the ball opposite LHP Andrew Heaney and the Rangers.
TONIGHT’S TELECAST: Tonight’s game will be televised on ESPN with Karl Ravech, David Cone and Eduardo Perez on the call…during tonight’s telecast, C Martín Maldonado is scheduled to wear a microphone for an in-game conversation with the booth, which will make him the first catcher to wear a microphone for a live interview during a regular season game.
TONIGHT’S GIVEAWAY: The Astros will give away Dusty Baker Sunglasses, presented by National Car Rental, to 10,000 fans in attendance tonight…this is the third consecutive night with a giveaway, as the club gave away a Framber Valdez Bobblehead on Friday night and a Framber Valdez Replica Jersey last night.
AT THE HELM: Astros skipper Dusty Baker is in his 26th season as a manager and his fourth at the helm in Houston…Baker, who ranks ninth all-time in managerial wins with 2,100 wins, has an outside shot of moving up to sixth all time by seasons end…en route, he’d have to surpass Joe McCarthy (8th, 2,125), Bucky Harris (7th, 2,158) and Sparky Anderson (6th 2,194).
THE SKIPPERS: Astros manager Dusty Baker and Rangers manager Bruce Bochy have a long history together with the two facing off against each other as managers in 193 total games entering tonight…all-time, Baker owns the advantage, posting a 111-81 record against Bochy’s squads.
BATTLE FOR THE BOOT: The Astros and Rangers are renewing their rivalry this weekend in what is their first series of the 2023 season…the Astros went 14-5 vs. the Rangers in 2022, which secured them their sixth consecutive season series ictory over Texas…the Astros have earned the Silver Boot trophy in each of the past six years (2017-22), five via season series victories and one via run differential (2020)…many of
those season series wins can be attributed to the Astros home dominance in the series, as Houston has gone 30-6 in 36 home games against the Rangers since the start of the 2019 season.
SATURDAY NIGHT SPECIAL: Leading 3-2 after the 6th, the Astros broke open last night’s game with a five-run 7th en route to an 8-2 victory over the Rangers…rookie RHP Hunter Brown (0ER/7IP) was dominant in his second straight outing, allowing just two unearned runs on five hits on the night…he was backed by an opportunistic offense that produced eight runs on 10 hits in the win…DH Yordan Alvarez led the way with three RBI, SS Jeremy Peña went 2×4 with a pair of RBI and leadoff man 2B Mauricio Dubón went 2×5 with a pair of runs scored.
ON THE HUNT: In his last two starts, which were the fourth and fifth of his career, RHP Hunter Brown has worked 7.0 innings in each start without allowing an earned run…the last Astros pitcher to make consecutive starts of 7.0-plus innings without allowing an earned run was LHP Scott Kazmir, who made two such starts in a row from July 24-30, 2015…Brown is also the only MLB pitcher this season to make consecutive starts of at least 7 IP without allowing an earned run.
THE FRAMCHISE: LHP Framber Valdez, a 2022 All-Star, has been one of the best pitchers in the Majors the last three-plus seasons (2020-23) as he leads the AL over that timespan in ERA (3.00), while ranking tied for second in wins (34). AL Wins Leaders (2020-23) AL ERA Leaders (2020-23) Gerrit Cole: 39 Framber Valdez: 3.00 Framber Valdez: 34 Dylan Cease: 3.10 Dylan Cease: 34 Gerrit Cole: 3.21
EARLY LEAGUE LEADERS: LF Yordan Alvarez leads the Major Leagues in RBI (20) and ranks tied for sixth in the American League in home runs (4), along with RF Kyle Tucker…Tucker also ranks tied for third in the AL in walks and eighth in OBP (.438)…2B Mauricio Dubón now ranks tied for fifth in the AL in batting average (.356) after reaching the qualifying threshold last night.
RACKIN’ UP RBI: LF Yordan Alvarez (20 RBI) is just the second player in club history to post 20 RBI within the team’s first 15 games, joining Lance Berkman, who also drove in 20 in the Astros first 15 games of the 2002 season…Alvarez has done his damage while playing in just 13 of the Astros 15 games on the season.
FILLING IN NICELY: 2B Mauricio Dubón, who’s on a career-long, 10-game hitting streak, is off to a strong start to the season, posting a .356 (16×45) average with nine runs scored, three doubles, a pair of RBI and an .805 OPS in 11 games played…Dubón, who started most of his games at shortstop and center field in 2022, has made all 11 of his starts at second base this season while filling in for the injured 2B Jose Altuve.
MISSING PIECE: The Astros are playing without their leadoff man, 2B Jose Altuve, who suffered a right thumb fracture while playing in the World Baseball Classic…Altuve is expected to be sidelined from baseball activity for approximately two months… in his stead, the Astros have started IF Mauricio Dubón (11g) and IF David Hensley (4g) at the keystone, while SS Jeremy Peña (8g), OF Chas McCormick (6g) and Dubón (1g) have shared leadoff duties.
YESTERDAY’S MEET & GREET: On Jackie Robinson Day yesterday, the Astros collaborated with The Players Alliance and the Rangers, to host 75 high school aged baseball and softball players from the Astros Youth Academy and local high schools for a pregame meet and greet…Astros General Manager Dana Brown, Astros manager Dusty Baker, and players 3B Alex Bregman and OF Corey Julks addressed the group.
CONGRATS CHEO!: The Astros would like to congratulate OF Jose “Cheo” Cruz on his election into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame…Cruz and seven others, including football stars Priest Holmes, Adrian Peterson and Michael Strahan, were formally inducted at a ceremony last night in Waco, TX…Cruz played parts of 13 seasons in Houston, coached for another 13 years and now serves as a Community Outreach Executive for the Astros, in what is his 40th season with the organization.
TONIGHT’S ASTROS STARTER: LHP FRAMBER VALDEZ
LAST START – 4/10 at PIT: recorded his 2nd consecutive quality…he allowed 2 runs on 3 hits with 5 walks and 5 strikeouts in 7.0 innings.
THE SILVER BOOT: will make his 14th appearance (11th start) against the Astros in-state rival Texas Rangers.
• for his career in the Silver Boot Series, he’s notched a 2.55 ERA (19ER/67IP) with 77 strikeouts and a .201 opponent batting average.
• 9 of his 10 starts against the Rangers have been quality starts.
IN THE AMERICAN LEAGUE: among AL starters, he ranks 1st in groundball percentage (68.6) T-5th in innings (19.0) and 11th in ERA (1.89).
ON THE ROAD: has been productive on the road throughout his 6-year career, recording a 3.26 ERA (101ER/278.2 IP) through 51 career road appearances.
• went 10-2 with a 2.27 ERA (29 ER/115.0IP) in 17 road starts in ‘22…it was most road wins by an AL pitcher and the 4th-lowest road ERA in MLB amongst qualifying starters.
• his career 3.26 ERA on the road is the 4th-lowest of AL pitchers since making his debut in 2018 (min. 250 IP).
OPENING DAY STARTER: made his 2nd consecutive (and career) Opening Day start…is the first Astros pitcher to make back-to-back Opening Day starts since Justin Verlander (2018-21)
• was the second Dominican-born pitcher to start Opening Day for the Astros, joining Wandy Rodriguez in 2012…was one of three Dominican-born pitchers to get Opening Day nod in ‘23, joining Marlins RHP Sandy Alcantara and Mariners RHP Luis Castillo.
• was the third LHP in Astros history to make back-to-back Opening Days, joining Dallas Keuchel (2015-17) and Dave Roberts (1973-74)
• became the first Dominican-born pitcher in Astros history to pick up a winning decision on Opening Day in ‘22…tossed 6.2 scoreless innings, allowing just 2 hits and striking out 6 batters to 1 walk, in a 3-1 win at LAA.
THE 2022 CAMPAIGN: tossed 25 straight quality starts from 4/25 to 9/18, setting the MLB record for the most consecutive quality starts in a single-season…streak also was the longest streak in MLB this year and tied for the 2nd-longest streak in MLB history when including multiple seasons…also extended the Astros franchise record (previously held by RHP Mike Scott (20g) in 1986).
• led the Majors with 26 quality starts and was 1st pitcher in MLB to record 23 consecutive quality starts since RHP Jacob deGrom made 26 consecutive quality starts from 5/18/18-4/3/19… among AL starters, was 1st in IP (201.1), 1st in home runs per 9 IP (0.52), 1st in GB percentage (67.3), 2nd in wins (17), 6th in opponent OPS (.600) and 6th in ERA (2.82).
• finished 5th in AL Cy Young voting, with teammate Justin Verlander winning the award.
• made his first career All-Star game roster in ‘22 after being selected through the player vote to Midsummer Classic at Dodger Stadium…picked up the winning decision in a 3-2 victory for the American League, after tossing a perfect 3rd inning in relief…was the 1st Astros pitcher and 5th Dominican-born pitcher to collect ASG winning decision and 1st since Pedro Martinez in ‘99.
WITH THE ‘STROS: signed by the Astros as a 21-year-old international free agent from the Dominican Republic on March 18, 2015.
• the left-hander has gone 42-24 with a 3.32 ERA (197ER/533.1IP) and 515 strikeouts in 101 games (79 starts) in the Majors with Houston from 2018-23.
• has been one of the AL’s most prolific starters since 2020, ranks 1st in the AL in opponent OPS (.622), 1st in ERA (3.00), T-2nd in wins (34), 4th in opponent’s batting avg (.226), 5th in innings (425.2), 7th in pitcher’s WAR (4.8) and 7th in strikeouts (413).
• has been a groundball machine in his Major League career…owns a career 66.7% groundball percentage, which ranks as the lowest percentage in the Majors from 2018-22 (min. 300 IP)… the next closest active pitcher is RHP Logan Webb (56.7%)…since ground ball percentage started being tracked in 1987, Valdez career ground ball percentage is the highest ever posted by a starting pitcher (min. 250 IP).
• has held left-handed hitters to a .210 average (82×391) and a .609 OPS in the Majors…has allowed just six homers to left-handed hitters in his career.
• for his career in the postseason, he’s recorded a 3.41 ERA (26 ER/68.2 IP) in 12 career games (12 GS)…since ‘20 leads all MLB pitchers in postseason wins (7), strikeouts (75), IP (68.2) and quality starts (7).
