More structure has relievers thriving

This story was excerpted from Kennedi Landry’s Rangers Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox

CHICAGO -- All eyes have been on Rangers ace Jacob deGrom and the rest of the star-studded rotation early this season, but the Texas bullpen has stolen the show early on.

With two and a third shutout innings from Cole Ragans and Ian Kennedy in Texas’ 2-0 loss to the Cubs on Friday and one out from Kennedy on Saturday, the Rangers bullpen had its scoreless streak of 24 innings come to an end. Before surrendering one earned run in the sixth inning, the last time the bullpen gave up a run was in the seventh inning of Opening Day when Jonathan Hernández gave up an RBI groundout.

It is the fourth-longest scoreless streak by Texas relievers dating to at least 1974:

28 ⅓ IP -- 5/1/08 (9th inn)-5/10/08 (2nd inn)

26 ⅓ IP -- 9/9/90 (6th inn)-9/17/90 (8th inn)

25 ⅓ IP -- 7/12/13 (4th inn)-7/23/13 (8th inn)

24 IP -- 3/30/23 (8th inn)-current

Entering Saturday’s game against the Cubs, Rangers relievers combined to post a 0.67 ERA through seven games, and are also leading MLB in opponent batting average (.133) and WHIP (0.74). They are one of two teams remaining (Boston) to have not allowed a relief home run.

“Everybody's going in and they're getting outs, that’s the thing,” pitching coach Mike Maddux said. “They've been sensational this first week of the season. We've got everybody from our long guys to our short guys. Everybody's coming in and performing quite well … There’s a little homework involved to try to put guys in a position to succeed, and sometimes it works like clockwork and sometimes you gotta Dallas Buyers the best you can.”

The bullpen allowed five earned runs in Saturday’s loss to the Cubs, but defensive struggles and a bit of bad luck had more to do with it than anything.

Manager Bruce Bochy said all the relievers have done a phenomenal job of holding the inherited runners and have just been good at passing the baton to the next person to keep the line moving.

Two holdovers from last year’s bullpen, Taylor Hearn and Brock Burke, said there seems to be a more structured plan, game to game, in how the relievers are used. Burke said they’re not really approaching hitters any differently than they did last year, but that structure has led to everybody being more comfortable in the roles they’re given and doing them on a nightly basis.

“I mean, to be blatantly honest with you, there’s way, way more structure,” Hearn explained. “I think there’s way more structure, and I think guys are open to knowing what their roles are. I think everybody's kind of open to it and everyone knows they're gonna put us in the best situation, toward our advantage. Overall, they've been really good with really good structure and guys are comfortable with it and actually having a lot more fun.”

Bochy also praised the versatility of the bullpen, noting his ability to put anybody in almost any situation.

An even bigger bonus is the ability of multiple relievers to close out games. Jose Leclerc closed on Opening Day, but Will Smith also has a save early this season. Hernandez and Kennedy are also guys with experience in high leverage situations that Bochy and Maddux would be happy sending out in a save situation.

“That's a luxury,” Maddux said. “You look at the bubblegum cards and we've got multiple guys that have done it. Your closer is not always your best pitcher. It's the guy who can stomach the ninth inning and we have multiple options to stomach the ninth.”