Jose Leclerc Totally Surprised by Save Chance for Texas Rangers Against Mets

José Leclerc had no idea he was going into the game Monday night. Not in the ninth inning. Not with a win on the line.

But there he was, on the mound at Citi Field trying to hold a one-run lead for the Texas Rangers.

Talk about pressure. Leclerc felt it.

“It felt really good for me,” he said. “It was a long time ago that I go in the ninth inning [in a] close game. I feel a little bit of pressure. I’m not gonna lie.”

Neither did his stuff. The 29-year-old right-hander pitched a scoreless ninth, striking out two and overcoming a two-out walk to lock down the 4-3 comeback victory over the New York Mets.

The Rangers (74-57) rebounded from Sunday’s crushing 13-inning loss at the Minnesota Twins to get in position to win the Mets series on Tuesday.

Even though Leclerc started the season as the club’s closer – a role he’s also occupied in recent seasons – it’s been a long time since the Rangers put him in a save position.

He last saved a game on April 5 – the sixth game of the season. Two blown saves followed in Leclerc’s next two chances, and he lost the job as closer before the season’s first full month was done.

Leclerc would pitch in low-pressure spots from that point before slowly moving into more high-leverage situations over the past few weeks. That trust culminated Monday night, especially with a thin bullpen.

Texas manager Bruce Bochy said only Martín Pérez, Will Smith, recently-called up Glenn Otto and Leclerc were available for the opener with New York. Pérez pitched two scoreless innings in relief of starter Jon Gray and, when the Rangers rallied to take the lead with two runs in the top of ninth, Bochy made the call.

“Once we went to Leclerc, we’re down to two [relievers], so hopefully he gets it done, which he did,” Bochy said. “Made some great pitches. He’s been in that situation and he’s throwing the ball well, so we were really comfortable with him out there.”

Leclerc might not have been as much. He admitted to only being prepared to pitch in the seventh or eighth inning.

“The ninth never was in my mind,” he said.

Leclerc struck out Pete Alonso on five pitches before gunning down Daniel Vogelbach on just three. Vogelbach never took the bat off his shoulder as Leclerc painted the corner twice before an 88-mph changeup low in the zone ended the at-bat.

Francisco Alvarez walked on just five pitches, putting the tying run on and the winning run at the plate. Omar Narvaez hit a couple of balls hard – one foul and one into the glove of right fielder Adolis García for the ballgame.

Just 125 games after his save, Leclerc now has two this season.

Had the Rangers had their full compliment of relievers, including Aroldis Chapman, it’s not likely Leclerc gets a ninth-inning chance like Monday. But for a team that had lost nine of 10 coming into Queens, having anyone step up is a welcome sight.

Leclerc gladly, if nervously, took the opportunity.

“Hopefully,” he said, “I get another chance.”

You can follow Art Garcia on Twitter @ArtGarcia92.

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