It was a long, long three weeks without Joey Gallo but the Rangers were able to keep their heads above water in this arduous June and their reward is seeing Gallo return during this final leg before the All-Star break.
Tonight, Gallo picked up where he left off with a walk and RBI double in his first two at-bats. Now Texas is the most games they’ve been above .500 all season with a chance to start piling on to conclude the season’s first half.
Player of the Game: It took Jesse Chavez 79 pitches to get through 6 1⁄3 innings and not allow an earned run in his first look this season as a full fledged starter. I mean, sure, it was the Tigers, but if Chavez can be anywhere close to as good as he’s been out of the ‘pen since May every five days, Texas might have something with this rotation.
Tonight, with seven Ks and just five hits and zero walks allowed, Chavez looked the part.
Also, LOOGY Locke St. John relieved Chavez to get two outs in a successful MLB debut against the team that drafted him. Congratulations, Locke St. John!
Up Next: More Rangers and Tigers as two of the AL’s best starters so far this season will battle each other with LHP Mike Minor pitching for Texas against LHP Matthew Boyd for Detroit. Wednesday’s first pitch from Comerica Park is scheduled for 6:10 pm CT.