TAMPA -- Rangers right-hander Kumar Rocker, who returned from the injured list on Wednesday before enduring a rough start against the Rays, was sent down to Triple-A Round Rock on Thursday. In a corresponding move, right-hander Chris Martin, who had been on the IL with shoulder fatigue, was activated.
Rocker, activated after recovering from an early season right shoulder impingement, allowed five earned runs in 3 1/3 innings during Wednesday night’s 5-4 loss against Tampa Bay at George M. Steinbrenner Field.
In the third inning, when the Rays sent nine batters to the plate, Jake Burger was late throwing to Rocker covering first base on Jake Mangum’s two-out slow roller, allowing Yandy Díaz to score from third base. Then, with Rocker not paying attention, Jonathan Aranda kept running and scored a second run.
Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said Rocker’s mental mistake didn’t prompt the demotion, but served as an example for one of the many “little things’’ the pitcher must master before he can become a consistent Major Leaguer. Rocker, the third overall pick in the 2022 Draft, fell to 1-4 with an 8.87 ERA in six starts this season.
“If you’re a pitcher and that [botched play] happens, you feel so bad,’’ Bochy said. “He just dropped his guard and he looked at the runner. He didn’t take off initially, then he let the moment [at first] get to him and the runner scored. It’s something pitchers are taught and they work on, but it still happens in the Major Leagues. And that’s why you feel so bad. Because it’s Baseball 101.
“We really want him to keep making progress in all facets of the game -- his approach to the hitters, reading swings, holding runners, building position, game awareness, all the little peripherals that pitchers need to do. He doesn’t have a ton of innings and we’ve sped him up pretty good. It takes time. He just needs reps out there, but he also needs to let the little things become second nature to him.’’
Bochy made it clear the Rangers still believe in Rocker’s potential. Bochy said Rocker was “receptive’’ to getting in his Triple-A work for improvement.
“When he starts using all his pitches effectively, this guy is going to be really good,’’ Bochy said. “It’s such a fine line between winning and losing up here. It was a one-run game [Wednesday night], and we gave them a run on one little mistake.’’