ARLINGTON -- Rangers pitcher Dennis Santana said his father, a big basketball fan, named him after two greats -- Dennis Rodman and Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway.

And while Dennis Anfernee Santana doesn't necessarily have the flair of Rodman or Hardaway on the mound, he¡¯s looking to be a solid middle-relief pitcher for the Rangers right now.

Santana, who was called up from Triple-A Round Rock on July 3, was acquired from the Dodgers for right-handed pitcher Kelvin Bautista on June 17 after being designated for assignment on June 12.

Rangers manager Chris Woodward said the staff loves Santana¡¯s stuff and hopes he can go multiple innings for the big league club following his debut with Texas.

¡°Maybe [Santana has] command issues at times, but if we can get this guy to throw the ball over the plate, he's gonna break some bats, for sure,¡± Woodward said. ¡°His stuff moves all over the place. We¡¯ve got to get him in the zone, attacking the strike zone. I've always liked this guy. I've heard good things about him. I haven't been around him a ton, but I look forward to getting to know him a little bit.¡±

In his Rangers debut in a 7-3 win over the Mariners on Saturday, he pitched a perfect seventh inning with two fly balls and a strikeout. Santana came up as a starter but transitioned to a bullpen role in recent years. He said he likes the pressure of those high-leverage situations as a mostly two-seamer-slider combination guy.

After being acquired by the Rangers, the 25-year-old Santana pitched four scoreless innings in four relief appearances at Triple-A.

¡°Dennis was throwing the ball really well,¡± Woodward said. ¡°He can go multiple innings, though I don't know how many truly he can go. He hasn't been built up for a ton, but he's been throwing the ball really well. His stuff looks good. We wanted to see it. So [calling him up], it made sense.¡±

Brock Holt shaves mustache + other thoughts

Utility infielder Brock Holt isn¡¯t superstitious, but he is a little 'stitious. On Friday after Texas¡¯ 10-inning loss to the Mariners in Seattle, Holt decided to shave what had become his signature mustache this season after what he felt like had been a rough go at the plate for him.

Heading into the July 2 game, Holt was riding a three-game hitless streak (0-for-10) and felt like he needed a change.

¡°Desperate times call for desperate measures,¡± Holt joked on Zoom. ¡°I felt like I'd been swinging the bat really well, and I haven't haven't been getting any results. So it's kind of a superstitious thing. I got a couple of hits on Sunday, so I'm hoping that the mustache was the reason why, and it wasn't just me. We'll see how it pans out.¡±

In two games in Seattle, Holt went 3-for-8 with two RBIs post-mustache shave.

Holt, as one of the most veteran guys on a young Rangers squad, has played a vital role in how Texas has gotten through its struggles this season, which included a 16-game road losing streak in June. He said sometimes it¡¯s important for young teams to go through some struggles in order to learn and grow collectively.

¡°Obviously we had a really tough stretch where we felt like everything was going against us,¡± Holt said. ¡°I feel like some of that stuff has changed and some individuals are having success. We've had a little bit of success as a team, so that just gives us confidence. And if you're confident in this game it can take you a long way.¡±

Dallas Stars night

The Rangers are hosting a Dallas Stars night during the club's six-game homestand before the All-Star break.

On Tuesday, hockey fans in the Dallas-Fort Worth area will be able to watch the Rangers take on the Tigers alongside fellow fans at Globe Life Field. Those who purchase a special theme night ticket will also receive a limited edition Dallas Stars/Texas Rangers hat.

Tickets must be purchased at texasrangers.com/themenights.