The Texas Rangers will face a challenge with their starting pitching as they kick off the 2025 Major League Baseball season. Despite the adversity they are encountering, this could be an opportunity for the organization’s young pitchers to showcase their skills.
Jon Gray sustained a fractured right wrist on Friday after being hit by a comebacker from Colorado Rockies first baseman Michael Toglia during the fourth inning of the game. Gray had to leave the game following the incident. Rangers manager Bruce Bochy expressed his regret, stating, “It’s terrible. I feel awful for him, to be this close to getting the season going. It’s just not good news.” Gray, 33, is going into his fourth season with the team and the final year of a four-year, $56 million contract. He is projected to be the Rangers’ No. 3 starter.
With Gray’s injury and other setbacks in the rotation, including Cody Bradford’s elbow soreness and Tyler Mahle’s forearm issue, the Rangers may need to rely on rookies Jack Leiter and Kumar Rocker to fill in. Leiter, the team’s 2021 first-round pick, has shown promise this spring with a 2.53 ERA and 13 strikeouts in 10 2/3 innings. Rocker, a first-round selection in 2022, has struggled a bit but could still find an opportunity due to the team’s current pitching challenges.
The Rangers will also welcome back Jacob deGrom, a two-time Cy Young Award winner, who returned from Tommy John surgery late last season. In his limited appearances, deGrom has shown his dominance on the mound, striking out batters and delivering scoreless innings. His return adds a boost to the team’s pitching staff.
