ARLINGTON -- The only time Kumar Rocker had gone six or more innings in pro ball was May 5, 2023, with High-A Hickory, one start before it was announced that Tommy John surgery would cut short his debut season.
It¡¯s been a long two years since that start, and on Thursday, Rocker completed seven innings for the first time in his professional career, helping the Rangers to a 5-3 win over the Angels to finish off a sweep at Globe Life Field. The outing also marked a significant milestone, as the club's No. 2 prospect notched the first win of his MLB career.
¡°He¡¯s shown he can do it at this level,¡± said manager Bruce Bochy. ¡°He can do it again, too. That's a great way to get your first win, to go seven innings. We were all happy for him with how he threw the ball. He's got the stuff to be a really nice Major League pitcher.¡±
In fact, the last time Rocker threw at least seven innings was on June 11, 2021, when he threw a dominant 7 2/3 scoreless innings against East Carolina University during his junior year at Vanderbilt.
¡°Yeah, going out there for the seventh, I was like, ¡®This is cool,¡¯¡± Rocker said with a smile.
Rocker allowed three runs on five hits -- along with a couple defensive miscues -- but struck out eight Angels hitters while inducing 15 swings and misses, 13 of which came on his slider. Forty-five of his 78 pitches were sliders, after he threw just four sliders in his last start against the Mariners.
That was no doubt one of the biggest reasons for his success on Thursday. This was the best his slider has felt all year, he said.
When it¡¯s working, it¡¯s his best pitch. It¡¯s the pitch that made him a legend in college at Vanderbilt. It may even be one of the best pitchers on the Rangers staff.
¡°It¡¯s just about understanding the shapes and what you have before the game,¡± Rocker said. ¡°I worked hard this week trying to find that perfect shape [for the slider]. Granted, it came on game day, and I was happy with it, and used it to the max. It's what I always throw. So it's nice. ¡ It's been a process to find it [the feel for his slider]. It's hard to find it at this level. I got lucky or blessed or whatever you want to call it.¡±
After an electrifying MLB debut last September, the 25-year-old entered the day with a 7.94 ERA across his first three starts this season. He threw five innings of one-run ball against the Rays on April 6, but failed to make it past the fourth inning in either of his other starts.
There are ups and downs that come with the job. That¡¯s part of being a big leaguer pitcher. Rocker has gone through many of both just this month.
¡°With Kumar, it¡¯s just about being consistent,¡± Bochy said pregame. ¡°That¡¯s what separates everybody between a good Major League starter versus somebody in Triple-A.¡±
¡°He knows how important it is to stay away from the walks and attack the zone, which he did with all his pitches tonight,¡± Bochy added postgame. ¡°You know the stuff is there. You don't want to beat yourself. I think that¡¯s what has hurt him at times. Those seven innings and no walks, it's there, and he knows it. That should do a lot for his confidence.¡±
Consistency is the most important part of being a big league pitcher, that much is obvious. So how does Rocker do it again and again and again going forward?
¡°You try to maximize the days in between [starts],¡± Rocker said. ¡°As I'm learning as I go week to week here, it's hard to do at this level. I just gotta keep looking at the older guys, watching them do their thing, and trying to stay positive and try to stay calm.¡±