Kumar Rocker, a first-round pick in both the 2021 and 2022 drafts, on Thursday won for the first time in the major leagues.
Rocker struck out a career-best eight in a career-best seven innings as the Texas Rangers beat the Los Angeles Angels 5-3 to complete a three-game sweep.
Rocker (1-2) threw a career-high 78 pitches and allowed three runs on five hits without a walk.
Photo: AFP
The 25-year-old right-hander was drafted third overall by Texas in 2022, a year after concerns over a physical led to him going unsigned by the New York Mets as the 10th overall pick. He made his major league debut in September last year and was 0-2 last season.
“It feels great, It felt real good and I’m happy it happened,” Rocker said.
Rocker opened the season in the starting rotation with multiple Texas starters on the injured list and was rocked for six runs in three innings at Cincinnati on March 31. In his most recent outing last Saturday at Seattle, he gave up four runs, three earned, in 3 1/3 innings.
The biggest difference on Thursday was overall command — throwing 58 strikes, allowing no walks — and specifically his command of the slider.
“The biggest thing — we talk about it all the time — is location,” Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said. “He had really good location tonight.”
Rocker credited catcher Kyle Higashioka with calling a good game.
“I just kept them off-balance,” he said.
Most critical was his strikeout of Mike Trout to end the fifth inning with a 4-3 lead leaving runners at first and second after the Angels scored twice in the inning.
Rocker threw a 1-2 four-seam fastball, and Trout’s check swing was called a strike by first base umpire Lance Barrett.
It is possible Rocker was pitching to hold his spot in the rotation. Jack Leiter, Rocker’s former Vanderbilt University teammate, should return from the injured list soon after being sidelined by a blister.
“It shows he can do it. He can do it again,” Bochy said. “That’s a great way to get your first win, seven innings. He’s got the stuff to be a really nice major league pitcher, be a dominant one.”
Now, Rocker has a statement performance to point to — coincidentally Rocker’s first seven-inning outing since his university days.
“As I’m learning and as I’m going week to week, it’s hard to do it at this level,” Rocker said. “Just keep looking at older guys, watching them do their thing, and trying to stay positive and trying to stay calm.”
In Miami, Pavin Smith homered, doubled and drove in two runs as the Arizona Diamondbacks defeated the Marlins 6-4 to sweep their three-game series.
Arizona have won seven of eight, including five straight.
Josh Naylor, a former Marlins first-round pick, homered for the third straight game, while Arizona stole six bases, including three by Taiwanese-American Corbin Carroll, who scored twice.
Arizona’s Eduardo Rodriguez (1-2) lasted 5-1/3 innings, allowing 10 hits, zero walks and three runs (one earned) while striking out nine.
Marlins starter Edward Cabrera (0-1) gave up four hits, three walks and five runs in four innings, striking out six.
Miami’s Rob Brantly went 3-for-3 with one RBI.
Elsewhere, the Mets mastered the Cardinals 4-1, the Pirates pipped the Nationals 1-0, the Phillies downed the Giants 6-4, the Athletics walloped the White Sox 8-0, the Orioles overcame the Guardians 6-2, the Tigers tamed the Royals 6-1, the Yankees stung the Rays 6-3 and the Mariners outlasted the Reds 11-7 in 10 innings.
Additional reporting by staff writer with Reuters
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