Jack Leiter, son of Al, to debut for Rangers on Thursday against Tigers
DETROIT » Jack Leiter, the 23-year-old son of former major league pitcher Al Leiter, is to make his major league debut for the Texas Rangers against the Tigers on Thursday.
Texas said Tuesday it intended to select the contract of Leiter from Triple-A Round Rock, where he is 1-1 with a 3.73 ERA in two starts and one relief appearance this season.
Taken second overall in the 2021 amateur draft from Vanderbilt, Leiter has pitched 14.1 innings this season with 25 strikeouts and three walks. He struck out 10 over six innings against Oklahoma City last Friday, allowing three runs and six hits.
“The way Jack’s throwing the ball, he’s been pitching really well down there,” Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said. “You earn things and he earned this. This was a pretty easy one, to be honest.”
Leiter struggled at Double-A Frisco in his first pro season in 2022, going 3-10 with a 5.54 ERA. He split last season at Frisco and Round Rock, finishing 2-6 with a 5.19 ERA with 114 strikeouts and 49 walks in 85 innings.
Al Leiter was a two-time All-Star and won 162 games over 19 seasons from 1987-2005. TIGERS 4, RANGERS 2 » Gio Urshela had an RBI single and Matt Vierling scored on a wild pitch in the eighth inning to put Detroit ahead, and the Tigers’ pitchers continued their solid play to beat Texas.
Casey Mize, making his first home start since April 9, 2022, went six innings, allowing two runs and five hits. Mize missed most of 2022 and all of 2023 after undergoing Tommy John surgery and a back operation.
Braves’ Albies (toe) put on injured list
HOUSTON » Second baseman Ozzie Albies was put on the 10-day injured list by the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday because of a broken right big toe.
Albies was hit on his foot by a curveball from Houston rookie Spencer Arrighetti in the second inning of Atlanta’s 6-1 win on Monday night.
A 27-year-old three-time All-Star, Albies is hitting .317 with two home runs and 14 RBIs.
Brewers’ Yelich (back) goes on IL
MILWAUKEE » Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich has gone on the 10-day injured list with a lower back strain.
The move announced Tuesday is retroactive to Saturday. Yelich’s last appearance came in an 11-1 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Friday.
Yelich, 32, was off to a blistering start before his injury. The 2018 NL MVP is batting .333 with a .422 on-base percentage, .744 slugging percentage, five homers and 11 RBIs in 11 games.