The Texas Rangers shift Jack Leiter toward the bullpen as the postseason race intensifies, prioritizing immediate high-velocity relief over the traditional starter’s workload.
The Texas Rangers are fighting for first place in the American League West with the Houston Astros and there are only 29 games remaining.
Because of this, finding immediate pitching help has become more important than waiting for Jack Leiter to rebuild a traditional starter’s workload.
That urgency could lead Texas to use Leiter out of the bullpen for the remainder of the season.
The Rangers are already designing his next rehab appearance around that possibility.
According to Evan Grant from The Dallas Morning News, Leiter will make his next rehab appearance Thursday.
Unlike his first two outings, the right-hander will enter from the bullpen and work under a strict schedule, with Texas expecting him to pitch only two innings.
What’s next for Leiter?
The decision follows a second rehab appearance that manager Skip Schumaker described as grindy.
Schumaker cautioned that the possibility of moving Leiter to the bullpen remains 50-50, but two factors are driving the consideration.
The first involves the difference between his rehab appearances.
Leiter was sharp in his first outing for Triple-A Round Rock, surrendering one hit in 2.2 innings. He threw 48 pitches and reached 100 mph with his fastball, according to Statcast.
His second appearance with Double-A Frisco was considerably more difficult.
Leiter allowed five runs (four earned) on three hits in three innings while throwing 58 pitches. He struck out five, walked two and surrendered a home run.
Although Leiter again reached 100 mph, Schumaker told Grant and other reporters that his velocity and overall stuff declined after the second inning.
That could indicate Leiter is having difficulty building toward a starter’s workload.
The second factor is time.
Wednesday’s game against the Chicago White Sox begins Texas’ final 29 games. The Rangers are a half game behind the Astros in the American League West.
They’re also one game behind the Cleveland Guardians for the last American League Wild Card spot, making every victory increasingly important.
The emergence of Cal Quantrill and Cody Bradford as quality starting options also means Texas does not necessarily need to force Leiter back into the rotation.
Minor-league affiliates will begin shutting down in two weeks, further reducing his opportunities to build up.
Nothing has been decided.
The Rangers first need to see how Leiter responds to relief work. Not every starter adjusts immediately to the role. Jordan Montgomery, for example, needed three MLB relief appearances this season before putting zeroes on the scoreboard.
Leiter’s upside
Leiter could make the transition work. His power fastball could become particularly dangerous in shorter appearances because he would not need to preserve his stuff for multiple trips through a lineup.
His aggressive mentality also fits the role. Leiter can attack hitters immediately with his best pitches rather than worrying about navigating several innings.
Adaptability will be critical because relief work requires a different routine and preparation.
With Texas fighting for the division and a Wild Card spot and Leiter running out of time to rebuild his workload, showing he can handle that adjustment could provide his quickest route back to the Rangers.
