On this date in Texas Rangers history, a future Rangers general manager threw a gem to lead the Rangers past Atlanta in interleague play.
On June 13, 2005, the Rangers hosted Atlanta at Ameriquest Field in Arlington. Atlanta put a former Rangers nemesis on the hill in Tim Hudson. The Rangers started 6-foot-10 right-hander Chris Young.
Young got the better of the matchup on this day, as the Rangers won, 7-3. Young gave up just two hits in seven innings, while striking out seven and walking one. He threw 97 pitches and he ended up claiming his sixth win of the season.
Offensively, the Rangers gave Young all he needed. Alfonso Soriano went 2-for-5 and drove in four runs, and both hits were home runs. Hank Blalock went 2-for-4 and drove in two runs. One of Blalock’s hits was a home run in the fourth inning. By then, the Rangers had chased Hudson off the hill, as he didn’t get out of the third inning after giving up five earned runs.
Kevin Mench and Rod Barajas also had two hits for Texas.
Young put together a 13-year career, winning 79 games, and that 2005 season ended up begin one of his best. He went 12-7 with a 4.26 earned run average. He did make the National League All-Star team playing for San Diego in 2007, and he wrapped up his career in 2017 pitching 14 games in relief with Kansas City. During those final three seasons in Kansas City, Young won a ring in 2015.
After his career ended, Young joined Major League Baseball’s front office as a vice-president in 2018, and was later promoted to Senior Vice President, Baseball Operations in February 2020.
On Dec. 4, 2020, the Rangers hired Young to take over as general manager, the ninth in franchise history. He replaced Jon Daniels, who moved into the role of president of the Texas Rangers.
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