Rangers Name Reliever Starting Pitcher for Baltimore Orioles Showdown

The Texas Rangers will use reliever Jacob Latz as their starting pitcher for Tuesday’s game with the Baltimore Orioles.

The Rangers named him the starter after Monday’s 6-0 loss to the Orioles, and the decision was reported by outlets including The Dallas Morning News.

This will be the second time Latz has started a game for Texas this season.

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The left-hander was named the starter on June 8 against Washington and shined. He threw 3.1 innings, tossing three perfect innings before running into a bit of trouble in the fourth inning. He gave up two hits, two runs and two walks while he struck out seven. He didn’t get the win, but he helped set the Rangers up for a victory over the Nationals.

Latz is in his fourth year with the Rangers. This season he has appeared in 16 games and is 1-0 with a 3.26 ERA. He has 30 strikeouts and 13 walks in 30.1 innings. He is closing in on last year’s career high of 43.2 innings.

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Texas started left-hander Patrick Corbin on Monday, who gave up nine hits and five earned runs in five innings. He struck out six and walked none as he took the loss. With Jacob Webb and Dane Dunning coming on in relief, that left Latz free to be Tuesday’s starter.

Dunning, who was on the Rangers’ 2023 World Series team as a starter, was promoted back to Texas on Monday.

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Working Latz into the starting rotation is the latest move for Texas, which is trying to navigate without two of their starters, Nathan Eovaldi and Tyler Mahle, who are both on the injured list.

Eovaldi threw a bullpen on Monday and is in line to be activated on Friday to start against the Seattle Mariners at Globe Life Field.

Texas expects to start Jacob deGrom on normal rest in Wednesday’s finale against the Orioles. If Eovaldi starts on Friday, the Rangers would start Jack Leiter and Kumar Rocker in the weekend games against the Mariners.

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The Rangers have two other pitchers on the 60-day injured list. Left-hander Cody Bradford could start a rehab assignment this week while right-hander Jon Gray could be an option to re-join the rotation in August.

For now, the Rangers will have to make do with what they have.

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