Minor snaps winless streak, tips cap to Rangers?

ARLINGTON -- Rangers left-hander Mike Minor had a succinct reaction to not getting traded on Wednesday.

“It’s great,” Minor said after the club’s 9-7 victory over the Mariners at Globe Life Park.

Care to elaborate on that?

“No,” Minor said. “I am tired of talking about it.”

Still, Minor must have been relieved when general manager Jon Daniels called him during the afternoon with the news he was staying.

? Box score

“Yeah, I guess so,” Minor said. “Once again, I didn’t want to talk about today with him or anybody unless he was calling me to tell me I was going somewhere. I feel like it has been a distraction.”

The distraction is over and Minor can put his full concentration on pitching again. He was also able to get his first victory since June 23 despite allowing five runs over five innings. Willie Calhoun gave the Rangers a 6-5 lead with a three-run home run in the fifth and four relievers helped hold off the Mariners.

“Yeah, I mean, I can’t remember the last time I got a win so it was great,” Minor said. “The bullpen came in and helped me out, and all the guys were crushing it. I didn’t do anything tonight to help get us the win, but everybody else kind of picked me up.”

Rangers manager Chris Woodward said Minor did more than enough.

“Yeah, I mean, he was a warrior today honestly,” Woodward said. “He didn’t really have command of much, and kind of admitted that. He went out and gave us five innings, gave us a chance to give him the lead there in the fifth, and it worked out the way I was hoping it would work out. I was really hoping we’d get him a win because he deserves it.”

Minor didn’t feel like a warrior after the way he felt he pitched.

“Pretty bad on the mound,” Minor said. “I haven’t pitched that well. I’m ready to get past it and have some better outings.”

July was not good for Minor. Besides having to deal with all the trade talk, he was 1-2 with a 6.59 ERA in five starts. Minor was pitching for the first time since last Wednesday in Seattle and the six-day layoff may have affected his command. He walked three and hit a batter in addition to allowing seven hits and striking out five.

Minor said there are some mechanical issues he needs to address but feels confident that he can make it. With the Trade Deadline gone, that can get his full attention.

“I think if you were to ask him, I don’t think -- he’s never going to use that as an excuse,” Woodward said. “He’s just saying he’s a little off, and he’s trying to fix his mechanics a little bit and get back to kind of where he was before. I don’t think he’s ever going to use that as an excuse. I think we can all realize that it obviously had to have some effect on him, but I’m sure he’ll go home, maybe have a beer, enjoy tonight.”