Rangers Now Face More Questions After Jack Leiter’s Rocky Relief Rehab

The idea was to maybe slide Jack Leiter into a relief role. Now the Texas Rangers may have to re-think what’s next.

Texas Rangers starting pitcher Jack Leiter. Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Texas Rangers have always thought of Jack Leiter as a starting pitcher. The idea of moving him to the bullpen would be a temporary one.

After Wednesday's outing at Triple-A Round Rock, the Rangers may have to rethink what's next with their injured right-hander.

The Rangers sent him to Round Rock to continue his injury rehab assignment. The hope was that he would throw two innings. He only threw one and he got knocked around, giving up three hits and three runs on just 27 pitches.

Gauging What’s Next for Jack Leiter

Texas Rangers starting pitcher Jack Leiter. Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Express gave Leiter a clean inning to work with, giving him the fourth after David Davalillo gave up four hits and four runs while recording just two outs in a sub-par start. Ryan Lobus came in provided 2.1 innings of clean relief to get the ball to Leiter.

Things got away from Leiter right away. He gave up back-to-back singles to Adael Amador and Tyler Freeman — the latter the brother of Rangers infielder Cody Freeman. He got an out at home on a fielder’s choice that led to Jonah Bride throwing out Amador at home. But Leiter hit Charlie Condon to load the bases.

Leiter then gave up a 0-1 double to Vimael Machín that scored all three runs. Leiter then struck out Chad Stevens and got Roc Riggio to ground out to end the inning.

The Rangers clearly will have to assess how Leiter pitched and not necessarily the numbers he put up. Were his pitch shapes on point? Did he have the velocity that they felt he was losing later in his previous rehab outings? Was his bad inning more about location or stuff? Those are questions the Rangers will be asking themselves during the off day in Milwaukee. But for now, it puts Leiter’s trajectory to return to the Majors in question.

That's because Texas must ask itself one more question. Was this a case of a pitcher who simply isn't suited to be a reliever? Some starting pitchers can flex into the bullpen and handle long relief. Some starting pitchers can't. Leiter has little experience coming out of the bullpen. It's only one appearance and one inning, but it's something the Rangers must weigh as well.

The Rangers saw moving Leiter into the bullpen at a short-term option to get him back on the staff after he stretched himself out to nearly 60 pitches in his second injury rehab game last week.

But that means little if Leiter is either not able to handle being a reliever or his stuff isn't where it needs to be. And time is running out. Minor league affiliates will start shutting down in a couple of weeks and the Rangers have fewer than 30 games in the season. At some point, Texas will have to make a call.

They were just hoping Leiter would make that call easier on Wednesday.