The Texas Rangers made a move ahead of Friday’s game to allow their young pitcher to recover from a minor injury.
ARLINGTON, Texas — The Rangers have placed Jack Leiter, their young rising star, on the 15-day injured list to address a blister on his right middle finger. The move is retroactive to Wednesday, following Leiter’s early exit from his start against Cincinnati after the fifth inning due to the blister.
Leiter’s injury cut short his strong performance, which had been his second consecutive impressive outing, though the Rangers secured a 1-0 win.
Manager Bruce Bochy shared the update before the game, indicating that the decision was made to prevent the issue from escalating.
In a corresponding move, the Rangers have recalled veteran left-hander Patrick Corbin from Triple-A Round Rock. Though Corbin had been optioned at the start of the season, the injured list move for Leiter allows Texas to call up Corbin earlier than usual. Corbin had been at the team’s complex in Surprise, Arizona, for a recent outing and is ready to step in if necessary.
Bochy mentioned Corbin threw 85 pitches during his session and is prepared to take Leiter’s spot if needed. The Rangers’ rotation is set to face the Chicago Cubs next week, and Corbin could be called on for Monday’s game to give Nathan Eovaldi an extra day of rest.
This setback is frustrating for Leiter, who had impressed in his first two starts with a near-100 mph fastball and a devastating changeup. He posted a 2-0 record and a 0.90 ERA over 10 innings, striking out 10 batters.
Leiter, the No. 2 overall pick by the Rangers in the 2021 MLB Draft, made his MLB debut last season. The Rangers signed Corbin to a $1.1 million contract after losing both Cody Bradford and Jon Gray to injuries, thinning their starting rotation.
Corbin, a two-time All-Star and 2019 World Series champion, had a solid career but has struggled in recent years. Since his 14-7 season in 2019, he has gone 33-70 with a 5.62 ERA.
