April 9, 2022 - Game 2
Television and Radio Listings for Today's Game
Rangers TV: Bally Sports Southwest
Rangers Radio: 105.3 The Fan (English); KFLC 1270 (Spanish)
Blue Jays TV: Sportsnet
Blue Jays Radio: SN590
Overview
Friday's 10-8 loss is a tough pill to swallow for the Rangers, but it's only 1 of 162 games in an MLB season. Next, Texas turns to Dane Dunning to slow down the Toronto Blue Jays' offense. Dunning is coming off a 2021 season where he threw 117.2 innings, a 4.51 ERA, and a WHIP of 1.436. While the numbers look okay, the Rangers limited Dunning's campaign after an abbreviated 2020 season and coming off of Tommy John in 2019. In Spring Training, I asked Dane about the limitation lifted for the season. "It's going to be a fun feeling now that I am able to go past "x" number of pitches and/or innings, and I can go out and grind as long as I can," Dunning felt the frustration from last year's occurrences where Chris Woodward pulled him when either he was cruising or struggling and couldn't get out of his jam. Dane also said he worked on minor mechanical tweaks in the offseason, and he's noticed his velocity increased from 2021. "Little mechanical cues and keep my hands back a little bit, trying to get a little shoulder-hip separation."
The offense is looking to build after a strong start in Friday's game. The first thirteen at-bats combined 5 for 10 with two walks, a hit by pitch, and three extra-base hits. Also, Rangers manager Chris Woodward advised that he wouldn't pitch guys back-to-back days. Therefore, you may see the fiery arm of Albert Abreu make his Rangers' debut along with Brett Martin and Matt Bush. Jonah Heim will also make his 2021 debut at the bottom of the lineup. Woodward continues the left-right trend, although there'll be a couple of back-to-back lefty spots in the lineup with Corey Seager and Nathaniel Lowe (3/4) and assuming Heim bats left-handed and Brad Miller (9/1). Texas looks to snap a four-game losing streak against the Blue Jays on the road.
Per Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News: Yesterday's starter, Jon Gray, will head to the injured list with the blister issue he suffered Friday. Spencer Patton will join the team and because of the off days scheduled, the Rangers are able to withstand the ten days with four starters.
Pregame Notables
Dane Dunning's home/road splits vastly differed in 2021. At Globe Life Field, Dane had a 3.09 ERA and went 5-3 in 67 innings pitched. Away from the palace, Dunning was 0-7 with a 6.39 ERA in 50.2 innings.
Dane's Rangers debut came against the Blue Jays at home last year. He went five innings, three hits, one run, and struck out six on seventy pitches. It's unclear what the pitch limit is because of the shortened Spring Training, but it's likely around the 70-80 pitch mark.
Saturday will be Kevin Gausman's seventh career start against the Rangers. He has a 2.83 ERA in 41.1 career innings vs. Texas. That's the third-lowest ERA against any team against which he's pitched 40 or more innings. It'll be Gausman's first start against Texas since 2017, when he was with Baltimore. He spent the last four seasons in the National League with Atlanta, Cincinnati, and San Francisco.
The Rangers became the first team in 72 years to blow a 7-0 or larger lead on Opening Day. The Jays' comeback was the third-largest in baseball history.
Despite Texas 23-28 on Opening Day, the Rangers are 26-24 on the season's second game. Texas has won 15 of their last 24 on the game after Opening Day, including three of their previous four.
In three of their last four games, the Texas pitching staff allowed ten runs exactly to the Blue Jays' offense, all as the visiting team. During the four-game losing streak to the Blue Jays, Toronto has outscored Texas 35-10.
Corey Seager became the second Rangers player to score three runs in his Texas debut. The other is Gabe Kapler, who scored three runs on April 3rd, 2000, against the Chicago White Sox. Kapler had a multi-homer game that day.
The Rangers won fourteen of eighteen when hitting three home runs in a game last season. They hit three on Friday and are 0-1 early in 2022.
Jonah Heim is the only Ranger; that wasn't a free agent acquisition that has a history with Kevin Gausman. Kole Calhoun is 8 for 24 lifetime with a home run, Brad Miller is 5 for 18 with a homer, Corey Seager is 3 for 7 with a double, and Marcus Semien is 2 for 12 with a home run
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