Texas Rangers Rookie’s First MLB Win Shows off Growing Pitching Arsenal

The Texas Rangers needed a win from their rookie and he put them in position with his best outing in the majors so far.

Mar 28, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers starting pitcher Jack Leiter (35) throws during the first inning against the Boston Red Sox at Globe Life Field. | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

ARLINGTON, Texas — Texas Rangers manager Bruce Bochy set what he felt were the right expectations for Jack Leiter in his first start of the season on Friday.

“I would just love to see Jack go out there and give us five, six innings and a chance to win,” he said before the game.

Mission accomplished.

Leiter has his best Major League start by just about every measure on Friday against the Boston Red Sox. He scattered five hits over five innings, giving up one run (earned) and one walk as he struck out four in his first Major League win, a 4-1 victory.

“Just winning is nice,” Leiter said. “There were games I pitched last year where I could have pitched a lot better, but the team won, and it still feels good. But, to be in the win column, and be 1-1 for the year, I think that was an important win for the team.”

This was the Leiter the Rangers have seen all spring out in Surprise, Ariz. The one that went 1-0 with a 3.48 ERA in 20.2 innings, with 21 strikeouts in six games (20.2 innings).

He looked every bit the part of a first-round pick. He just needed more time to get there than the Rangers originally thought.

Selected in No. 2 overall in 2021, Leiter struggled with walks and with control in 2022 and in part of 2023 before the Rangers finally moved him to their developmental list and refined his mechanics. They also wanted him to increase his velocity.

That developmental list stint was a turning point. He looked better to end 2023 and then emerged as the Pacific Coast League’s Pitcher of the Year in 2024 with Triple-A Round Rock. He led the PCL with 12.86 strikeouts per nine innings.

That didn’t translate to the Majors when he was promoted in April for a spot start in Detroit. Over three different stints with the Rangers he went 0-3 with an 8.83 ERA in nine games (six starts), 35.2 innings, 31 strikeouts and 17 walks.

This offseason and this spring training it all came together. His velocity was up. He had four effective pitches. And he was determined to make the team and stay this time.

“He added velocity, he put in a lot of work, came in, was determined to make the rotation,” Bochy said.

He relied heavily on his fastball and his sinker on Friday, going there more than 60% combined. He mixed in the change-up and the slider after that, mixing in a curveball just 8.5% of the game.

The velocity that has been up all spring was on full display. His fastball touched 99 mph, including one that struck out All-Star Alex Bregman early in the game. But he changed speeds effectively, getting as low as 80 mph on the radar gun.

Even better is that Boston hitters were unable to make solid contact. Hitters had one barrel in 82 pitches.

The only run he gave up was to reliable Rangers killer Wilyer Abreu, who singled home Trevor Story to tie the game at 1-1 in the fourth. But Leiter got the next hitter, Connor Wong, to ground into a double play.

“What’s helping him a lot is he’s throwing all his pitches for strikes,” catcher Jonah Heim said. “He’s not getting behind in counts. He’s making hitters swing the bat and he’s not giving up free bases.”

That was also a change from a season ago. Leiter tended to allow small jams to get out of hand. On Friday he nipped his biggest jam in the bud.  

The growth was the biggest thing that Bochy wanted Leiter to take away from Friday’s game. That, and the knowledge that he can win at this level.