Series Thread: Rangers Travel to Chicago to Play the White Sox For Three Games August 24-26

[saddles]

Well, against the White Sox on
the road, losing 2 orf 3 was to be expected.

 

[saddles]

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[saddles]

Both Davalillo and Leiter had a bad night for Round Rock.

 

[saddles]

Feom Matthew Harris:

Good stuff tonight from Seong-Jun Kim as he logged his second start of the season for Hickory. Kim pitched 2 innings and allowed 0 hits, 0 runs, 2 walks, and struck out 2 on 26 pitches.

It’s nice to get a proper camera angle this time around to help get a better look at Kim’s delivery. Kim did slightly struggle with fastball command tonight, but the flashes he shows are still so impressive.

His mechanics are quite polished already at 19 years of age, and there’s a lot to love about his pitch mix. Kim cuts his fastball a bit which explains why his secondaries are as impressive as they are.

Kim may throw his fastball more than 50% of the time at the moment, but I’m staking my claim right now that his splitter is going to be the best pitch he throws in the next few years. It’s almost more of a forkball shape getting huge depth at -6” of vertical break.

One criticism I saw of Kim is that he struggles to carry velocity into his breaking pitches, but I have not seen anything to back up that claim. He got up to 89 on his slider last week, and I love the shape of it. He could throw his curveball a little harder, but he’s 19 and I expect that to happen as he fills out his frame.

Kim’s stock as a pitcher has risen tremendously with me in just the past couple weeks. There are obviously things to clean up especially with command, but he’s so young that it feels silly to call that a concern at this time.

 

[WastinSomeTime]

Both Davalillo and Leiter had a bad night for Round Rock.

BP for Leiter.

I didn't see Monty pitch last night but I saw in the box score he pitched 1 inning and didn't allow a run. Pitched 3 innings total on back to back nights allowing 0 runs.

 

[WastinSomeTime]

The Orioles have won and are now a half game behind us in the wildcard standings. Toronto is edging closer along with the Twins and the Mariners.

Detroit continues to fade.

Twins and Mariners lost. I think if we don't win the division we go home.

 

[saddles]

BP for Leiter.

I didn't see Monty pitch last night but I saw in the box score he pitched 1 inning and didn't allow a run. Pitched 3 innings total on back to back nights allowing 0 runs.

Leiter hasn't pitched well enough for the bullpen, lately.

 

[saddles]

From Matthew Harris:

AJ Russell has started to figure out the High-A in his last few starts. Russell pitched a career-high 4.1 innings tonight while allowing 5 hits, 1 run, 1 walk, and striking out 7 on 71 pitches.

AJ Russell in his last 11.2 innings has now allowed 3 runs, 4 walks, and has struck out 20 batters. Russell had just been on a run prior where he was struggling a bit with both the strike zone and the long ball. It’s nothing I was ever concerned about, it just comes with the territory when reaching a new level with tougher competition.

Home runs will likely always be something Russell will have to deal with, such is the life for a primarily fastball pitcher who lives in the upper third of the zone. The important part about that is making sure you’re allowing solo home runs and not allowing self inflicted errors like walks turning those home runs into something much worse.

There’s been visible improvement over the past few starts for Russell that I’ve seen, and while I intend to do a deeper dive after the season, my first impression is that it’s to do with his approach. He’s been utilizing his slider much more to righties and his curveball and changeup more to lefties which has helped better protect his fastball.

It’s also important to mention that after throwing 70 innings in 3 years at Tennessee, Russell has thrown 56.2 innings just this year alone. I think he’s made a lot of progress in several aspects of his game, and while there’s certainly still room for further growth, I think there’s a lot to be encouraged by with Russell’s last few starts.

 

[WastinSomeTime]

Leiter hasn't pitched well enough for the bullpen, lately.

You know the Rangers will call him up and the discussion on the board was between Rocker or Leiter going to the pen so I was just saying that when he's called up he sure won't be a starter. Compared to deGrom and Gore and how they pitched in this series Rocker wasn't so bad after all.

 

[WastinSomeTime]

I noticed that Josh Smith hasn't played since August 19th.

 

[saddles]

I noticed that Josh Smith hasn't played since August 19th.

I checked and he is on the 10-day IL.

 

[Kelleyman]

Joc homers to tie it for Rangers & is pumped

Next AB pops out w/men on base-comes to the dugout ticked breaks his bat w/anger
Saw no one go to him or indicate-we will pick you up

Joc put in a tough position playing 1B
He should have been training there the last 2 years

 

[saddles]

From The Prospect Times:

Dylan Dreiling has an 18-game hit-streak.

During this streak he's slashed:

.429 / .471 / .701 / 1.172 with 5 HRs and 18 RBI.

 

[saddles]

From Jeff Wilson:

Jack Leiter allowed three runs Wednesday night during a relief appearance for Round Rock. One inning, 34 pitches. Not sure if that will convince #Rangers to activate him.

 

[Duane1952]

From The Prospect Times:

Dylan Dreiling has an 18-game hit-streak.

During this streak he's slashed:

.429 / .471 / .701 / 1.172 with 5 HRs and 18 RBI.

How is he defensively

 

[Senator_fan]

How is he defensively

Not that good according to scouting reports.

 

[saddles]

How is he defensively

MLB Pipeline grades him at the bottom part of average in the field with a slightly below average arm. They think he will play LF in the big leagues. The Rangers don't seem to agree as they have played him alnost exclusively in CF this year.

 

[saddles]

How is he defensively

Michael Tepid says this about him:

"Dreiling has improved throughout the year in CF. He’s been the everyday CFer and constant reps has really helped. He’s not a particularly twitchy guy, but he gets to a spot and meets the ball. And if he hits like he has this season, they’ll find a spot for him."

 

[scotsman#1948]

wish we had a team like the White Sox. they started the games attacking and kept it up for 9 innings. our "team" played 3 innings and quit. defense. offense and pitching

 

[saddles]

From Texas Rangers PR:

Congratulations to three Rangers prospects for being selected to 2026 Rookie-level Postseason All-Star teams, as announced by MiLB today:

-SS Seong-Jun Kim, Arizona Complex League
-OF Jay McQueen, Arizona Complex League
-UTL Cesar Mateo, Dominican Summer League