April 17, 2022 - Game 9
Television and Radio Listings for Today's Game
Rangers TV: Bally Sports Southwest
Rangers Radio: 105.3 The Fan (English); KFLC 1270 (Spanish)
Angels TV: Bally Sports West
Angels Radio: KLAA 830 AM
Overview
A Happy Easter to those who celebrate! At Globe Life Field, the Rangers and Angels conclude their four-game series Sunday. The series started nicely with a 10-5 win, but after back-to-back rough games on the mound, Texas needs length from Martín Pérez Sunday to give some much-needed rest for the bullpen. “We need someone to step up,” Rangers’ manager Chris Woodward said after Saturday’s loss. “Pérez maybe be the perfect guy to do it.” Martín’s outing on Tuesday shortened to sixty-eight pitches, four innings, seven hits, and three runs, but similar to what Taylor Hearn’s target was on Saturday, Pérez’s day likely extends due to the state of the bullpen. "The ability to execute is something that stands out right now," Rangers' manager Chris Woodward said when asked about one thing that he noticed from the bullpen. "We have to find a way when things are on the line to be able to execute, with two outs stop the bleeding, and put zeros. We're just not doing that."
On the other side, the Rangers face Angels’ left-hander, José Suárez. In his first start last Sunday against the Astros, Suárez threw seventy-five pitches and allowed two runs, two hits, and four walks in 4.1 innings. "He has the riding fastball, good changeup, and breaking ball. He give us fits last year," Woodward told me regarding Suárez and the struggles the Rangers had in 2021. José had his best season in the majors last year, where he appeared in twenty-three games (fourteen starts) and had a 3.75 ERA in ninety-eight innings. However, it’s a Rangers offense that needs momentum heading to the west coast as the club put together only two crooked numbers in two innings the past two games. The team is a lull at the moment, but the question is not only on the pitching side but on the offensive side, who is the man going to step up for Texas and right the ship?
Pregame Notables
José Suárez’s only career complete game came at Angel Stadium against the Rangers on September 4th. He allowed one run, five hits, struck out eight, and threw one hundred pitches.
Suárez’s 2.89 ERA career against Texas is the second-best ERA against any MLB team. In one start against Arizona, Suárez allowed one run in four innings (2.25 ERA). Also, José’s 0.911 WHIP is the second-lowest career against one team to Arizona.
As Saturday’s pitching matchup was a battle between native Texans, Sunday afternoon’s matchup was a battle of native Venezuelans. Martín Pérez and José Suárez were both born in Venezuela.
In his career, Martín Pérez pitches better on four days’ rest. Sunday will be the ninety-second time it’s happened, and overall, Pérez has a 4.42 ERA with a 1.449 WHIP when starting after four days’ rest. Career-wise, Martín has a 1.482 WHIP and a 4.72 ERA.
The Rangers’ bullpen is tied for third for most innings pitched (42.2 innings). However, Texas is the only team in the top six to play eight games. The other teams played either nine or ten games in 2022. The Rangers also have the worst bullpen ERA in MLB (5.48).
Texas’ starters pitched 28.1 innings, which is the lowest in MLB. Texas had an opener on Friday, but remember, the Blue Jays got a third of an inning from their starter on Opening Day.
The Rangers are the third-best team when it comes to facing left-handed pitchers. Texas has a .311 average, .378 on-base percentage, and.959 OPS against southpaws. However, the Rangers have a .611 OPS against right-handers, the sixth-lowest MLB.
Lineups
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