Home Schooled! Jack Leiter's Disastrous Home Debut Puts Texas Rangers Ailing Rotation In Limbo
![May 14, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers starting pitcher Jack Leiter (35) and Texas May 14, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers starting pitcher Jack Leiter (35) and Texas](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_6000,h_3375,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/inside_the_rangers/01hxwww8g0c4qk4hsm0y.jpg)
ARLINGTON — Jack Leiter made his third Major League start and first in front of the home Texas Rangers fans Tuesday night.
It did not go well.
The right-hander was hooked after recording five outs and trailing the Cleveland Guardians 6-0 at Globe Life Field.
The No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 MLB Draft struggled with his command during a scoreless first inning. He hit the leadoff batter, threw a wild pitch, and walked another batter during a 34-pitch opening frame in which the Guardians fouled off 14 pitches but only had one swing and miss.
No-gloves Josh Naylor packs some extra power 💪 pic.twitter.com/pFS0btJxZp
— MLB (@MLB) May 15, 2024
In the second, Leiter again hit the leadoff batter and walked the second batter before Bo Naylor's two-run double gave Cleveland the lead. After a strikeout, Leiter walked Tyler Freeman at the top of the Guaridans lineup before Andrés Giménez's RBI single scored Naylor. With two outs, Josh Naylor's three-run homer on an 0-2, 95.6 mph four-seam fastball ended Leiter's night.
He threw 64 pitches, including 38 strikes. Leiter recorded five swings and misses and 19 foul balls. He was charged with six runs on three hits, three walks, and two hit batters. He struck out one.
Leiter made his MLB debut on April 18 against the Tigers in Detroit. He allowed seven runs on eight hits and three walks in 3.2 innings. In his second start last week in Oakland, he allowed six runs (four earned) on seven hits in four innings.
He'll likely be optioned back down to Triple-A Round Rock, where he has had much more success this season. Leiter has 37 strikeouts and eight walks with a 2.84 ERA in 25.1 innings with Round Rock in 2024.
Jack Leiter on making first start at @GlobeLifeField and what he's learned from his two MLB starts on the road ... pic.twitter.com/wgUmehwy27
— Stefan Stevenson (@StefanVersusTex) May 13, 2024
The Rangers trailed 6-2 in the fourth after Adolis Garcia and Corey Seager hit solo homers in the second and third innings.
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