Jack Leiter gives up seven runs in Texas Rangers debut vs. Tigers

DETROIT — Right-handed pitcher Jack Leiter, the No. 2 overall selection in the 2021 MLB draft, allowed seven runs on eight hits, three walks and three strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings pitched for the Texas Rangers on Thursday against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park in his major league debut.

Leiter started his first major league game with a three-pitch strikeout of Detroit leadoff hitter Riley Greene. Leiter rung him up on three called strikes: a 95.8 mph fastball, an 88.4 mph changeup and a 97.7 mph fastball. He worked around a one-out Mark Canha single and a two-out Spencer Torkelson walk to finish a scoreless first on 20 pitches.

In the second inning, he walked Colt Keith on five pitches and got struck with bad luck when Gio Urshela chipped a 65 mph single over Marcus Semien’s head on a low-and-away slider. Leiter threw a first-pitch fastball low and inside in the next at bat that Javier Baez rocked 108.8 mph into left field for a run-scoring double. Urshela scored on a Carson Kelly groundout, then Greene drilled a low fastball 104.2 mph into right-center for a run-scoring triple. He scored from third on a Mark Canha single.

Leiter threw 20 of his 32 second-inning pitches for balls and struggled to locate his fastball and slider. Those that missed the strike zone weren’t all that close, and those that were in the zone were too hittable.

He retired the next six Detroit batters that he faced until Greene doubled off him in the fourth inning.

Things fell apart then.

Canha, in the next at-bat, worked a five-pitch walk, then Carpenter cleared the bases with a 102.8 mph triple into dead center that Leody Taveras misplayed. Torkelson scored Carpenter with a double in the next at-bat before Rangers manager Bruce Bochy replaced Leiter with Jose Urena.

The Tigers logged exit velocities of 100-plus mph on six of their eight base hits and registered “hard hit” velocities (95-plus mph) on 10 of their 15 batted balls off Leiter.

The Rangers selected Leiter’s contract on Thursday, optioned right-hander Grant Anderson to Triple-A and shifted Brock Burke (hand fracture) onto the 60-day injured list to make room for Leiter on the 40-man roster.

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