Thursday's Outing for Kumar Rocker Could Determine His Texas Rangers Future

Things haven't quite gone how the Texas Rangers and Kumar Rocker envisioned it to start the year.

Inserted into the starting rotation following two spring training injuries to Jon Gray and Cody Bradford, the top prospect carried his poor showing during the spring with him into the regular season.

Entering Thursday's scheduled start, the right-hander is sporting an 0-2 record and a 7.94 ERA across his three starts, giving up 18 hits in 11 1/3 innings pitched while striking out just six batters and walking four.

This is vastly different from what he did to close the 2024 campaign.

In a similar sample size -- three starts and 11 2/3 innings pitched -- Rocker had a 3.86 ERA and allowed 12 hits while striking out 14 batters and walking six.

Command and the propensity of being hit is the common theme for the 25-year-old through his first outings in The Show. But the way his strikeout ability has cratered perhaps is the most concerning development of all.

Rocker has to prove to the Rangers that he deserves a spot in the rotation, and if he doesn't deliver a strong showing against the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News (subscription required) believes that could be the end of his time in the rotation to start the season.

"... Kumar Rocker approaches what could be a critical start in determining if the team goes forward with him in the rotation or needs to consider a refinement program in the minors ...," he wrote.

Texas believes he is having a hard time trusting his array of pitches, attacking lineups in a predictable manner that has allowed this level of hitters to feast on what he's been throwing.

Per FanGraphs, only one of his five pitches -- his slider -- has a Stuff+ ranking above the league average of 100, which is a problem because he isn't throwing that pitch very often.

In fact, during his last outing, Rocker was shaking off the call from catcher Jonah Heim on multiple occasions, which is not a good sign that he's trusting what he can do on the mound.

Because of that, there is a good chance the Rangers move him to the minors at some point, whether that's immediately after this start if he struggles or later during the weekend when Jack Leiter is eligible to return from the injured list.

What happens to Rocker beyond that will be interesting to monitor.

Gray and Bradford are going to come back at some point, and when that happens, there's a good chance they prevent the top prospect from pitching in the Majors if everyone remains healthy and he still is searching for a way to be effective.

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