April 20, 2022 - Game 11
Television and Radio Listings for Today's Game
Rangers TV: Bally Sports Southwest
Rangers Radio: 105.3 The Fan (English); KFLC 1270 (Spanish)
Mariners TV: Root Sports Northwest
Mariners Radio: KIRO 97.3
Overview
It’s a new day. While the sun is not shining in Seattle, maybe a little rain is what the Rangers need. Texas enters Wednesday night with the second-lowest winning percentage in MLB and one of only two teams to not pick up win number three (Cincinnati Reds). Is there panic within the team? No, I wouldn’t say that. Baseball is a game of streaks, and it is harder to grasp when a lousy streak happens to open up the season. There’s no other stretch within the year to compare to, and it flusters everyone inside. However, there is one thing the 2022 Texas Rangers have a lot more than in previous years, experience. The leadership of Marcus Semien, Corey Seager, Mitch Garver, Kole Calhoun, and others apply a “turn the page” mentality. It’s also something Martín Pérez spoke about Sunday, reminiscing advice given by Bartolo Colón.
Now the Rangers play game two of three in Seattle and face a second-year pitcher they saw a lot of last season in Seattle, Logan Gilbert. Gilbert had some success against Texas, but his three starts were a mixed bag. In Logan’s two previous starts this season, he pitched five quality innings, only allowing one run combined and shutting down a tough Chicago White Sox offense. Gilbert threw eighty-five pitches exactly in both starts allowing a combined seven hits, striking out eleven, and walking only one batter (in Minnesota and Chicago). Wednesday will be Gilbert’s first outing at home in Seattle.
Meantime, Dane Dunning is making his third start, and the key is getting out of the first inning. He talked after Thursday’s outing, trying to correct the issues in the first, but what makes Dane’s line unique is that in the second inning, he’s untouchable. So if Dunning can weather the storm after inning one on Wednesday, it could be the start the Rangers sought out for weeks to try to rest a depleted bullpen.
Pregame Notables
Against the Rangers last year, Logan Gilbert had three starts. He was 1-0 with a 4.15 ERA allowing eight earned runs, walking three, and striking out seventeen.
Dane Dunning and Logan Gilbert were both born in the state of Florida. Dane was born in Orange Park, while Logan was born in Winter Park. Locations are roughly 130 miles apart. About 100 miles apart is where the University of Florida resides and Stetson University. Dunning went to UoF while Gilbert went to Stetson.
Dane Dunning’s lone start against Seattle came on Mothers’ Day 2021. Dane struck out a career-high ten batters in five innings. He allowed two runs and walked three in that outing.
The Rangers have the second-worst OPS in MLB during the seventh inning or later (.474). Only the Cincinnati Reds have a lower OPS (.447). Ironically the Rangers and Reds have the worst winning percentages in MLB. In addition, Texas scored the fewest runs during the seventh inning or later in MLB (5).
Texas has a .569 OPS vs. right-handed pitching (27th in MLB). Against left-handed pitching, they have a .870 OPS (4th in MLB).
In Marcus Semien’s last four games, he’s 3 for 15 with three RBIs, two runs scored, two walks, and two extra-base hits. It’s arguably the best stretch early for Marcus, and coincidently Semien has bat leadoff each of those four games.
The Rangers are trying to avoid going 2-9 to begin 2022. It’s the worst stretch of ten games to begin the year since 1987 when the club started 1-9. The 1987 team started 1-10 and eventually finished the year 75-87, which is the ballpark most people predict for Texas in 2022.
The Rangers have allowed an MLB leading fourteen runs in the first inning with five home runs. Since joining the club, the first inning has been an issue for Dane Dunning.
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