Inside The Rangers

Positive Signs? Recovering Texas Rangers Pitchers Throw Off Mound Before Angels Game

The Texas Rangers hope to have Tyler Mahle back in July, while former first-round pick Kumar Rocker is nearing the one-year anniversary of his Tommy John surgery.

Matthew Postins

Apr 21, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Twins pitcher Tyler Mahle.
Apr 21, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Twins pitcher Tyler Mahle. / Nick Wosika-USA TODAY Sports

ARLINGTON — Well before Saturday’s game with the Los Angeles Angels, two injured Texas Rangers pitchers took some big steps in their surgery recoveries on the mound at Globe Life Field.

Tyler Mahle, who signed with the Rangers in December, and 2022 first-round pick Kumar Rocker, both recovering from Tommy John surgery, threw off the mound during early batting practice with several members of the Rangers’ coaching staff looking on.

Mahle, 29, went first and threw harder, reflective of the fact that he’s a bit further along in his rehab after his surgery a year ago this month.

The Rangers signed him to a two-year deal this winter, with a small first-year salary, knowing that the right-hander would not be ready to help them until the second half of the season.

The seven-year vet is 33-41 lifetime with a 4.30 ERA. He broke in with Cincinnati in 2017 and played with Minnesota for part of the 2022 and 2023 seasons. He pitched in five games last season before the injury.

He’s one of three starters on the 60-day injured list that the Rangers hope can help them at some point this season, along with former Cy Young winners Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer.

Rocker, 24, has been in Arlington for a couple of days, getting in work at the club's pitching lab. He’s nearing the one-year anniversary of his surgery. He threw from a windup and with less velocity than Mahle.

After being selected No. 3 overall by the Rangers in 2022, he made six starts for High-A Hickory, posting a 2-2 record and 3.86 ERA with 42 strikeouts in 28 innings.

The surgery sidelined Rocker for the rest of the season. Given the normal timetable for his surgery and recovery, it’s possible Rocker could throw in a minor-league game late this season.

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Matthew Postins
MATTHEW POSTINS

Matthew Postins is an award-winning sports journalist who covers the Texas Rangers for Fan Nation/SI and also writes about the Houston Astros, Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies. He also covers the Big 12 for HeartlandCollegeSports.com.

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