This Spring Training is unlike any other for Texas Rangers pitcher Jacob Latz. In fact, it comes on the heels of a 2025 season that was unlike any other from Latz.

Despite not being on many people’s radar, Latz became the Rangers' pitching Swiss Army Knife in a way that even impressed Hall of Fame manager Bruce Bochy.

Last season, Latz threw 85.2 innings with an ERA of 2.84 while making both starts and relief appearances.

That performance has earned Latz the opportunity to compete for a spot in the starting rotation under first-year manager Skip Schumaker.

Admittedly, having someone as versatile as Latz is a challenge for Schumaker and his staff, but one they are certainly welcoming.

“It’s a good and a bad thing how good he is in the bullpen and as a starter,” Schumaker said. "There are some guys who can’t do both, so he’s so valuable to our club and our pitching staff. It’s hard to find that type of pitcher in the industry that can do both and be successful at both.”

Regardless of Latz’s strong presence in the bullpen, the Rangers have been building him up as a starter throughout the offseason. They are giving him just as good a chance as anyone to win the rotation's fifth spot.

On Tuesday afternoon, Latz made his first start of Spring Training against the Arizona Diamondbacks and threw a pair of shutout innings while allowing just two hits.

Perhaps more important than the results, Latz remained in the strike zone, throwing 20 strikes on 26 pitches. He was able to work from ahead in the count against most of the hitters that he faced.

“I thought it went good for a first outing,” Latz said. “I felt great [and] I thought my pregame routine was solid. Getting ahead [in counts] was my number one goal as it is for all of us here in camp, and I thought I was in count leverage except for one or two of them, so I’ll take that, and I was able to throw four [first pitch] strikes.”

By working towards the goal of being the fifth starter, Latz will be able to maintain a consistent routine of starting every sixth day in Spring Training for the first time in his career.

In spite of the newfound routine, Latz is handling his new role exactly the way his manager wants to see.

“Exactly like he should go about it,” Schumaker said when asked how Latz was handling trying to win the fifth starter position.

“He’s trying to win a spot, and he’s doing everything he can on the field or inside the clubhouse to show that he’s ready for the fifth spot in the rotation," Schumaker said,

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