Texas Rangers Starter Continues Franchise Record Run to Start Season

Veteran right-hander Tyler Mahle is off to one of the best starts in Texas Rangers history.

Apr 20, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers starting pitcher Tyler Mahle (51) pitches against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the first inning at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

On a pitching staff with multiple candidates with the credentials to be an ace, the Texas Rangers have struck gold with a veteran who started a combined eight games over the last two seasons.

Tyler Mahle delivered another stellar performance in Sunday afternoon’s 1-0 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers at Globe Life Field and is off to the one of the best starts in franchise history.

Despite the setback, the right-hander blanked the defending World Series champions over seven innings before calling it a day.

Mahle, whose seven shutout innings tied a season high, allowed just two hits, striking out four to go along with three walks. Of his 91 pitches, 57 went for strikes.

The Dodgers scratched across a run in the eighth inning off reliever Chris Martin on Freddie Freeman’s sacrifice fly.

Mahle held the Dodgers 2-for-23 (.087), lowering his ERA from 0.92 to 0.68. His ERA is the lowest over the first five starts of a season in franchise history, ahead of Rick Honeycutt’s 0.72 ERA in 1983.

That kind of outing has become typical for Mahle, who missed most of the previous two years after Tommy John surgery in 2023. He signed a two-year deal with the Rangers before the 2024 campaign and made just three starts before being shut down last in the season with shoulder soreness.

Mahle came into this year ready to be a major piece of the rotation, and he hasn’t disappointed. He went into Sunday leading the American League in opponent batting average and hits per nine innings, and was third in ERA.

“That’s why we signed him,” manager Bruce Bochy said. “We knew how good he is when he’s healthy.”

Mahle has allowed just 10 hits in 26.2 innings. Since allowing one run over 1.2 innings in his season debut, Mahle has allowed just one earned run in 25 innings (0.36 ERA). Paired with his six shutout innings against the Los Angeles Angels on April 15, it’s the first time in Mahle’s career to post back-to-back outings of 6.0-plus shutout innings.

The last Rangers starter to log 7.0-plus shutout innings with two-or-fewer hits was Nathan Eovaldi on Aug. 29, 2024 at the Chicago White Sox.

While the staff is built around Eovaldi and Jacob deGrom, Mahle leads the team in wins (three) and looks like an ace each time he takes the hill. Rangers starters had a 1.64 ERA on the just-finished homestand, giving up just seven earned runs in 38.1 innings.

Texas is 5-3 in his eight starts going back to last season, having a five-game winning streak snapped by the Dodgers.