Inside The Rangers

Texas Rangers Rookie Pitcher Kumar Rocker Impresses In MLB Debut Against Seattle Mariners

Texas Rangers top prospect Kumar Rocker struck out seven and allowed one run in four innings against the Seattle Mariners in his MLB debut Thursday night.

Stefan Stevenson

Sep 12, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Texas Rangers starting pitcher Kumar Rocker (80) pitches to the Seattle Mariners during the first inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images
Sep 12, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Texas Rangers starting pitcher Kumar Rocker (80) pitches to the Seattle Mariners during the first inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images / Steven Bisig-Imagn Images
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Three pitches into his MLB debut, Kumar Rocker had surrendered two groundball singles.

But the Texas Rangers top prospect was unfazed and put on a show, albeit brief, in his Major League debut against the Seattle Mariners Thursday night at T-Mobile Park.

Victor Robles hit a soft groundball up the middle on the first pitch Rocker threw, a 96.2 mph four-seam fastball. Two pitches later, Julio Rodriguez singled on a grounder through the right side.

Rodriguez quickly stole second to give Seattle two runners in scoring position with no outs.

And that's when Rocker dialed it up.

He recorded his first-career MLB strikeout against the third batter he faced, Cal Raleigh. Rocker fell behind 2-0 but evened the count with two swinging strikes. On a 3-2 pitch, Raleigh froze on 97.1 mph four-seam fastball down and in. Rocker struck out Randy Arozarena, starting him with two swinging strikes on sinkers before getting him swinging on an 84.9 mph slider.

Rocker, 24, got Luke Raley to line out to right to end the inning.

In the second, Rocker had a 1-2-3 inning, getting Jorge Polanco swinging and missing three times on an 85.2 mph slider, all three diving way down and inside out of the zone, and then striking out J.P. Crawford on three swing-and-miss sliders in a seven-pitch at-bat.

Rocker walked two in the third, including leadoff batter Josh Rojas, Seattle's No. 9 hitter. Rocker was ahead 0-2, but lost command of his fastball to walk Rojas, and with two outs, walked Raleigh on five pitches after getting ahead 0-1. Ball 4 touched part of the strike zone, however, according to PitchTracker.

After striking out Raley to start the fourth, Justin Turner ripped a full-count 96 mph fastball for a solo homer to tie it at 1-1. Before Turner's homer, the home plate umpire did Rocker no favors by calling the two pitches immediately ahead of the homer balls, but both touched the edge of the zone balls. Rocker wasn't fazed, however. He got a flyout before recording his seventh strikeout against Crawford on an 85.9 mph slider in the dirt to end the inning.

Texas Rangers top prospect Kumar Rocker, right, and catcher Jonah Heim enter the dugout before Rocker's MLB debut in Seattle.
Sep 12, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Texas Rangers catcher Jonah Heim (28) and starting pitcher Kumar Rocker (80) walk toward the dugout before the game against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images / Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

Gerson Garabito replaced Rocker to start the fifth after Rocker had thrown 74 pitches, including 47 strikes. Rocker left the game tied 1-1. Josh Jung's homer in the second gave the Rangers a brief lead.

Rocker's final line in his MLB debut: 4 innings, 1 run, 3 hits, 2 walks, 7 strikeouts.

He had 17 swing and misses, including 13 on the slider. According to Statcast, the only Rangers pitcher to have more swing and miss in a game on his slider is Jon Gray since 2015.

According to Baseball Savant, Rocker threw 33 sliders, 28 four-seam fastballs, 10 sinkers, and three changeups.

Rocker, who was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft, had Tommy John surgery in May 2023. He lit up the minors this summer during his comeback.

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Stefan Stevenson
STEFAN STEVENSON

Stefan Stevenson worked as a journalist and editor at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram for 25 years, covering sports, concerts, and general news. His beats have included the Dallas Cowboys, the Texas Rangers, and Texas Christian University football.

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