Kumar Rocker will make his next start with Triple-A Round Rock. It doesn’t sound like he’ll be back with the Rangers for a bit.
The Rangers optioned Rocker back to Round Rock on Thursday in a move to get reliever Chris Martin off the 15-day injured list. But it was also an acknowledgement that Rocker, for all the power in his arm, isn’t quite ready for prime time.
On Wednesday against Tampa Bay, in his first start since April 23, he lasted just 3.1 innings, giving up six hits and five earned runs. He walked two and struck out five. He is now 1-4 with an 8.87 ERA in 23.1 innings.
He also made an awful defensive mistake while covering first base that allowed an additional run to score.
Bochy told reporters in Tampa that Rocker’s defensive mistake wasn’t the overriding factor in his option. Texas did need Martin off the injured list for coverage in the bullpen. The schedule is such that Rocker’s next start would not have been until late next week, thanks to a pair of off days.
But the root of the decision really boils down to the fact that Rocker has pitched just 35 Major League innings and his performance doesn’t justify him staying. Bochy also wants Rocker to continue his development, which was stunted by Tommy John surgery in 2023.
“(I want him) to make progress in all facets of the game as far as pitching,” Bochy said to reporters in video gathered by Jared Sandler of Rangers Sports Network. “That includes your approach to hitters before they swing, all the little peripherals that pitchers need to do like holding runners, holding position, game awareness.
“He’s missed a lot of time on the mound because of the surgery, he doesn’t have a ton of innings, and we’ve sped them up pretty good and that takes time. So, he just needs reps out there, and but he also needs to let all the little things become second nature to him.”
Rocker spent more than a month on the IL after a right shoulder impingement. In two rehab starts at Round Rock last month he was dominant, as he gave up two hits and no runs in seven innings. He has had little trouble with minor league hitters for more than a year. Last year in 10 games (nine starts) he had a 1.96 ERA.
For now, Rocker is stuck in between being a dominant Triple-A starter and being a consistent, productive Major League starter. For now, he’ll head back to the minors and work on the things Bochy wants, in the hope that it leads to better production when he returns.
