Rangers eyeing Closer role for Kumar Rocker

Rangers eyeing Closer role for Kumar Rocker

As a starter this year, Kumar Rocker has been like trying to microwave a steak—technically possible, but painful to watch. The Texas Rangers have seen enough and are now flirting with the idea of moving him to the bullpen, where his electric stuff might finally stop setting off fire alarms. Who knows—maybe he’s not a failed starter, just a closer who showed up early.

For the hard-throwing righty, it could be the exact change he needs. Rocker has struggled to find his footing as a starter in the MLB, and this year has been no different. Posting an 8.10 ERA across five starts before going on the IL.

But now the Texas Rangers want to try something new that could save the Vanderbilt product’s career, moving him to the bullpen. For the Rangers, it’s a move that makes sense. Their rotation has been elite this year and could likely survive losing a starting arm like Rocker.

What has been an issue has been the bullpen, especially with Veteran Chris Martin down. It’s been hard for this Rangers bullpen to find consistent outs once they get late into games. Helping Texas to a meager 26-28 record so far.

Their offense certainly hasn’t been doing them any favors either, but it’s also clear that this bullpen has been and will be a problem if Texas wants a shot at making the playoffs.

Moving a once top 50 prospect from starter to reliever seems like a risky move. Rocker has never been a reliever, and it’s impossible to predict how he will adjust to the new role. It’s not a typical move, but not one we haven’t seen before.

Even recently, we’ve seen guys like Seth Lugo and Clay Holmes make the seemingly impossible switch from reliever to starter. So it wouldn’t be crazy to think Rocker can adjust to a new role as a closer.

The other reason I like this is that Rocker’s stuff seems perfect in a closer role. His hard fastball and sinker would be deadly if he could get a better feel for some of his offspeed. The whiff rate is a little low for a traditional closer, but that’s a number I would expect to jump in this new role.

It just seems like Kumar Rocker isn’t destined to be a starter. Whether it’s a lack of ability or a seemingly never-ending run of arm issues. I just don’t see a long-term future for Kumar Rocker where he is a starting pitcher.

But if the Rangers can find a way to turn him into an even serviceable relief pitcher. It would be a massive win for a Texas team needing some bullpen arms.

For Rocker, it serves as a second chance to live up to the hype he had coming out of college. He and Jack Leiter terrorized college hitters, easily creating the best one-two punch in college baseball. Rocker’s play earned him a top 10 selection in the 2021 player draft by the New York Mets, who ultimately wouldn’t sign Rocker after reviewing his medical history.

Forcing Rocker to play in the Frontier League for a year before the Rangers took him with the third overall pick in the 2022 player draft. It was a high-risk, high-reward type of pick. Everyone knows Rocker has the stuff, he just hasn’t been able to stay healthy long enough to prove it.

The Rangers, though, were hoping this would be the year Kumar Rocker starts to finally put it all together. His former college teammate, Jack Leiter, has even looked like he’s finding his footing a bit. But for Rocker, his time as a starter has just not yielded the results the Rangers want.

Kumar Rocker: 2021 MLB Draft Scouting Spotlight

We’ve seen this kind of move work before. Chris Sale started out as a relief pitcher, just like Garrett Crochet. It’s safe to say it’s worked out quite well for those two. Sometimes you gotta shake things up a little.

Kumar Roker was a top 50 prospect at one point. There is a great pitcher somewhere in there; it just may not be as a starter. And for a team that’s currently 26-28, what do you have to lose? Either it doesn’t work and you’re in the same position you were in, or you just found a new closer. Pretty good deal if you ask me.

***

Click Here for more MLB Content

Subscribe to Vendetta’s Twitch

Subscribe to Vendetta’s YouTube

Check out Vendetta Fantasy Contests