Texas Rangers Spring Training: Chirinos Says Pitching Will Be Key to 2020 Success
Texas Rangers starting catcher Robinson Chirinos is no stranger to elite-level pitching.
After playing one season in Houston with the Astros, catching the likes of A.L. Cy Young winner Justin Verlander and runner-up Gerrit Cole, Chirinos had up-close-and-personal experience with two of the top pitchers in the American League last season.
This year, Chirinos — who returns to a ball club where he caught 419 games from 2013 to 2018 — knows exactly what the key to success will be for the 2020 Rangers and their postseason chances.
"I feel like we have so much depth from our pitching staff," Chirinos said. "Starting with Corey Kluber, he's a guy who has won multiple Cy Youngs but lost last year to injury. I believe he's going to have a great season for us."
Obviously, Kluber is the headliner for the 2020 Rangers, considering he's a two-time Cy Young winner and finished within the top 3 in voting from 2016-18 with Cleveland. Texas boasts two other top rotation arms in Lance Lynn and Mike Minor as well.
Lynn finished fifth in Cy Young voting in 2019, while Minor finished eighth, giving Texas two high-end arms. Behind the trio, names like Kyle Gibson, Jordan Lyles, Kolby Allard, and Joe Palumbo will battle for a rotation spots as well.
While it might not be as good as Houston's rotation from 2019 - at least on paper - Texas' rotation has the makings of a strong starting five. With Chirinos calling pitches behind the plate and stealing strikes with his pitch framing ability, it could be a lucrative year in Arlington.
The tough part for Chirinos this year will be adjusting to all the new faces in the rotation and bullpen. Texas has just five pitchers on the 40-man roster from the last time Chirinos called a game in 2018 — Mike Minor, Jose Leclerc, Yohander Mendez, Ariel Jurado, and Jesse Chavez. Minor is the only one of Texas' projected starters Chirinos has caught.
That learning curve is something he's jumping on quickly though.
"Just talking to them and getting to know them, understanding what makes them comfortable," Chirinos said. "But really, just in talking to them they really care. We've only been together three or four days, but you can see and hear the passion with these guys."
"When I was here in the past, we had some tough years with pitching," Chirinos added. "Not only the starters, but the bullpen – they're going to be the key; they're going to be the key to winning a lot of games and making sure we have a spot in the postseason."
Making sure pitching is up to snuff this year is something Chirinos is taking pride in. Talking with fellow catcher Jeff Mathis has accelerated his learning curve early in Spring Training.
"I wasn't here last year and didn't get a chance to catch these guys," Chirinos said. "It's important we work as a unit, so I'm just talking to the guys that were here last year, getting a feel for things. If we can work together as one unit as a catching staff, it will make our pitching better. It's not about me or Jeff, or Jose...it's about our pitching staff and how we can be the best."
With a guy as good with the glove as Chirinos is behind the plate, there's little doubt the Rangers won't take a significant step forward on the mound in 2020.
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