Rangers brass are contemplating trying hard-throwing youngster Kumar Rocker in the closer role when he returns from the injured list, according to a report from Bob Nightengale of USA Today. Rocker is currently rehabbing from a right shoulder impingement that’s kept him sidelined over the past month, but is already on a rehab assignment and expected to be ready to return in the near future.
Moving a consensus top-50 prospect in the sport to the bullpen despite him having started all eight games of his major league career to this point would be something of a bold move, but it’s also an understandable one to consider for a team badly in need of a spark. The Rangers currently sport a 26-28 record that leaves them on the outside looking in of the AL playoff picture. Much of those struggles have been down to an anemic offense that has struggled to generate runs despite having big name players like Wyatt Langford, Marcus Semien, Corey Seager, and Joc Pederson up and down the lineup.
Perhaps the team that entered play today tied for the third-fewest runs scored in the majors could put themselves in a better position to succeed if their pitching was top-notch; after all, the Rangers are tied with the Royals in terms of runs scored, and Kansas City is currently clinging to the final AL Wild Card spot with a 29-25 record thanks in large part to a team ERA of 3.07, second in baseball behind only the Mets. The Rangers are no slouches when it comes to pitching, themselves, as their team ERA of 3.38 is good for sixth in the majors. Notably, however, much of that prowess has come from a starting rotation that has featured standout performances from veterans Nathan Eovaldi, Jacob deGrom, and Tyler Mahle. Rocker has not been part of that success, as even when healthy, he’s pitched to a lackluster 8.10 ERA in five starts this year despite solid peripherals.
The bullpen, on the other hand, is a place where Rocker may be able to make an impact. The Rangers have dealt with a middling bullpen for years, and despite overhauling the unit this offseason, that remains the case as they’ve pitched to a 4.20 ERA that’s good for just 19th in the majors. Adding an electric arm like that of Rocker to the mix could help the Rangers hold onto leads late in games, especially with veteran relief ace Chris Martin currently on the shelf due to shoulder fatigue, without a clear timeline for his return to action. If Rocker can dominate out of the bullpen by pitching at max-effort and not worrying about trying to go multiple innings, then it’s possible that he could get acclimated to the majors more effectively as a reliever and help the Rangers where they’re most in need of a jolt on the pitching side of things.
While starting a top pitching prospect’s career in the bullpen is unusual, it’s hardly unprecedented. Chris Sale stands as perhaps the most notable example of an ace hurler who began in the major league bullpen before converting back to the rotation later on, but Garrett Crochet, Jeff Samardzija, and Texas’s own C.J. Wilson are among a handful of other notable names. Hurlers have even begun converting from relief to rotation roles later in their careers in recent years, with Seth Lugo and Clay Holmes standing out as notable examples from the past few seasons. Of course, this strategy would still come with some risk. There’s no guarantee that Rocker would immediately take to a role change, and even if he did, the Rangers would effectively be hollowing out some of their rotation depth by not letting Rocker stay stretched out and using him in shorter bursts.
