SURPRISE, Ariz. — With the Rangers making another round of cuts Sunday morning, the competition stage of camp is reaching a critical point. Nowhere is that more evident than in the bullpen, where there could be as many as three jobs available and as many as seven pitchers competing.
That is, if Alexis Diaz is still in the mix after Sunday.
Diaz, who signed as a free agent but still has minor league options remaining, did not retire a batter while facing a lineup of Los Angeles Angels best described as “some guys.” Diaz ended up the loser in the Angels’ 9-7 win with a lineup featuring mostly minor leaguers. Most Angels regulars were in Las Vegas for an exhibition for the eventual-Las Vegas A’s.
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Diaz allowed a single, a hit batter and three walks in the 17 pitches he threw. Only three were strikes. The lack of strike zone command is what made a guy who averaged 25 saves a season from 2022-24 available in the first place.
Diaz has struggled with command in each of his last three outings, one of which was a “B” game against Kansas City. In that stretch he has allowed five walks, a hit batter and a pair of homers while retiring five batters.
Others still competing for various bullpen spots have been more effective. Luis Curvelo, who also has options remaining, followed starter Nathan Eovaldi into the game and pitched a perfect sixth. Including an appearance against Brazil in an “unofficial” exhibition, he’s struck out five and walked nobody in five innings of work.
Other observations from an otherwise lovely Sunday that included a successful marriage proposal for a couple in Rangers’ gear:
Typical Evo: Nathan Eovaldi wasn’t crazy about the shape of his splitter early in the game Sunday, but right now it’s more about how you finish. And Eovaldi rallied, becoming the first Ranger to go five innings this spring. He finished the day retiring eight consecutive hitters on just 26 pitches. Over his last two “A” game starts, Eovaldi has allowed a pair of runs in 7⅔ innings, striking out eight and allowing two walks. Sounds like a typical Eovaldi regular-season start.
Carter’s grand Sunday: Evan Carter launched a first-inning grand slam off Victor Mederos on a slider that didn’t get all the way in on him. Carter, who later doubled, has four extra-base hits thus far this spring. In 18 at-bats, he has already doubled the total of extra base hits he had last spring when he hit just .154 in 39 at-bats and was sent to Triple-A Round Rock to start the year.
Growing pains: Hard-hittin’ Cam Cauley made his spring debut in the outfield as he looks to further demonstrate versatility in his chase for a roster spot. It didn’t go quite as well as his hitting has gone. Cauley, who began playing some center field last year at Double-A Frisco, entered the game in right field for the first time ever on Sunday and had a routine fly ball flop off of his glove for an error.
Twitter/X: @Evan_P_Grant
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