ARLINGTON – There will come a time when Jack Leiter will look back on this season and consider the immense growth he’s made.
This is not that time.
For the time being – time being fleeting these days – it’s still about trying to make an impact pitching in meaningful baseball games. Though by Monday, those could be technically over for the Rangers, too. On Saturday, Leiter allowed a pair of two-out homers in the sixth that created the difference in a 4-3 loss to Miami.
It was the Rangers’ sixth straight loss, tying their longest losing streak of the season. Pro tip: If you are trying to make the playoffs, avoid season-worst losing streaks in September. Combined with Boston’s wins at Tampa Bay, it trimmed the Rangers elimination number to two. A Red Sox win and a Rangers loss on Sunday could take care of that.
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Then it will be time for the Rangers to transition to considering what building blocks they found in 2025 that may contribute to whatever direction they take in 2026. It would be hard to consider any name other than Leiter as having taken the single-biggest step forward this year.
“I would agree with that,” manager Bruce Bochy said after the game, which included his 89th career ejection. “From Day One to where he’s at now, he’s done a good job of not letting the game get away, of keeping his poise. He’s been consistently pitching into the sixth or seventh. He maintains his stuff and his focus. It’s just gotten better with Jack and I think he should feel good about how he’s throwing the ball right now.”
He will. Just not Saturday. On Saturday, he didn’t want to contemplate pushing 150 innings, more than 30 more than he’d ever pitched in a season, college or pro. He’s developed a real fourth pitch in a changeup that makes him more effective. He’s been able to slow the game down. He’s a legitimate starting pitcher.
Which is exactly why the last week, in which he lost at Houston and against Miami, has been so tough for him. He expects better.
“After the season, it’s a step-back-and-reflect type thing,” said Leiter, who is 9-10 with a 3.92 ERA in 144 ⅔ innings with one start possibly left. “Right now, it’s kind of in the moment. I’m frustrated. I’m pissed off. This was a stretch where we needed to win most of our games. We’ve lost six straight and I started two of those. So I need to be better.
“Before tonight, I was looking at hopefully making the playoffs and till it’s over, it’s not over. But, obviously, the last two felt like must-win games, so it’s super disappointing.”
Leiter allowed a single run in the second, pitched out of a bases loaded jam in the third and then got a pair of runs from the Rangers in the bottom of the inning. But he allowed a double to No. 8 hitter Connor Norby, threw a wild pitch and the tying run scored on a sacrifice fly.
Still, he took a 2-2 tie to the sixth, got the first two outs and to move within an out of his 10th quality start of the year. For comparison’s sake, Cody Bradford had eight in his rookie season last year.
But his first-pitch curveball to No. 7 hitter Troy Johnston didn’t get down far enough and Johnston lined it just over the right field wall. It was low enough that had Ezequiel Duran been back at the wall, he might have been able to reach it, but Duran was anticipating to play the ball off the wall. Two pitches later, he left a lazy slider up to Connor Norby, who drove it over the left field fence.
“I think the second one, that’s the pitch he’d like to have back,” Bochy said. “But he had good stuff again the second note one, that’s the pitch you like to have back. He had good stuff tonight again, made pitches with the bases loaded. He’s just getting better and he’s earned chances to go with two outs there.”
He’s thankful to have earned the chances, but, at this point, believes it’s more about the results than simply getting the experience.
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