Dane Dunning Improves in First Rangers Spring Start

Dane Dunning's first spring start went better than his first relief appearance.

Texas Rangers pitcher Dane Dunning’s second outing on Thursday was better than his first, at least statistically.

Against the Milwaukee Brewers, Dunning started for Nathan Eovaldi, who was scratched for a minor injury. Dunning threw three innings, giving up three hits and one run, coming on a home run early in the outing. He also struck out five and walked none.

That’s a far cry from his game on Feb. 25 against Kansas City. He pitched just 1 1/3 innings, giving up five runs and three hits, along with two walks while striking out two.

So, what changed?

“I’ve been working on some mechanical things, but I kind of threw that out the window and was just trying to find my rhythm and timing and tempo,” Dunning said.

Dunning’s 2022 season ended when he injured his right hip and required surgery. He jokingly called it his “new hip,” even though it wasn’t replaced. But the injury may have stemmed from bad habits Dunning said he picked up along the way, including jumping off his back leg in his delivery.

With the surgery behind him, Dunning is focused on reinforcing the good habits as he tries to find a role in this pitching staff that now has six veteran starters, four of which were signed or traded for this offseason.

Dunning, set career highs in several categories in 2022, including pitching more than 150 innings for the first time. But he also gave up a career-high 20 home runs. He ended up with a 4-8 record with a 4.46 ERA as he started at least 25 games for the second straight season.

The Rangers have made it clear that they intend to work Dunning as if he will be a starter this season and then allow Spring Training competition to determine his role.

Plus, as he works on his craft, he’s also working on learning the nuances of the new pitch clock. He felt better on Thursday. He described his first appearance against Kansas City as “pitch, pitch, pitch” and that “tired myself out.”

He’s learning that the clock isn’t as pressure-filled as some might thing. He’s learned that he has “more time than you think,” but is still trying to work quickly.

“You really don’t have to start your delivery with no one on until one second (left) and then it’s deliver the pitch,” Dunning said. “Same thing with a runner on, but you have more time than you think.”

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You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard

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