The Texas Rangers rolled to a 12-3 victory over the Kansas City Royals at Surprise Stadium on Thursday in spring training action. Wyatt Langford paced the offense, going 1-for-4 with a home run and three RBI, giving the coaching staff plenty to be encouraged about as the exhibition schedule continues. On the mound, Kumar Rocker turned in a solid outing, working 4.0 innings of 1-run ball with six strikeouts. The Rangers finished with 13 hits on the day while holding the Royals to 7. The Rangers will take confidence from a well-rounded effort on both sides of the ball. Spring training is about building toward the regular season, and this was a step in the right direction.
Key Performers
Wyatt Langford was the top performer at the plate, going 1-for-4 with a home run and three RBI. His power was on full display throughout the game. The Rangers will be hoping for more of the same as the spring continues.
Josh Jung provided support, going 3-for-3 with a home run and two RBI, Andrew McCutchen also contributed, going 1-for-3 with a home run and three RBI, and Kyle Higashioka chipped in, going 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI. Multiple contributors at the plate made life difficult for the opposing pitching staff.
On the other side of the diamond, Kyle Isbel led the Royals offense with a 2-for-3 with a triple and two RBI day. Abraham Toro also contributed, going 2-for-3 with an RBI. Drew Waters added a 2-for-4 effort as well. Despite those contributions, the Rangers pitching staff did enough to limit the damage and secure the victory.
On the Mound
Kumar Rocker earned the win after turning in a quality outing, working 4.0 innings while allowing 1 earned run on 3 hits with six strikeouts. He threw 70 pitches in the outing. The coaching staff will review his performance as they continue mapping out the pitching plan for the regular season.
The bullpen combined for 4.3 innings of work, allowing 2 earned runs while striking out seven. The Rangers continue to sort through their relief options as they build their Opening Day bullpen. Every inning pitched in the spring is an opportunity for pitchers to make their case for a spot on the roster when the games start counting.
Among the relievers, Chris Martin stood out with 1.0 innings of 1-run work, striking out two. It was an impressive showing that could factor into roster decisions.
How It Happened
The Rangers struck first, scoring a run in the first inning. The Rangers pushed across two runs in the second. Royals struck back with a run in the third. The Rangers answered with four runs in the fourth. The Rangers tacked on a run in the fifth. Royals countered with two runs in the sixth. The Rangers struck back with four runs in the seventh. The Rangers spread their scoring across five different innings, applying consistent pressure throughout the game. The Rangers out-hit Royals 13-7 on the day, with 2 errors committed between the two clubs. A crowd of 8,313 was on hand to take in the action.
Looking Ahead
The Rangers will look to build on this positive performance as spring training winds down. With the regular season rapidly approaching, outings like this one provide confidence and continuity for a roster that is rounding into form. Every remaining exhibition game is another chance to sharpen the details before the games start counting for real.