Jacob

Latz

Latz got the call on short notice to fill in for Jacob deGrom (neck). It was no problem for the 29-year-old southpaw as he held the Phillies without a hit over four scoreless frames. He issued one walk while punching out three before ending his day at 68 pitches -- 42 strikes. Latz will likely shift back into long relief as long as deGrom is ready to rejoin the rotation in the coming days.

Jacob Latz will start on Saturday afternoon in his place. The Rangers do not believe the issue is serious and that deGrom could potentially start early next week against the Orioles, according to Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News. It certainly sounds like a precautionary decision and that deGrom isn’t facing an extended absence or potential trip to the injured list. The 37-year-old veteran ace’s checkered injury history suggests this is a developing situation worth monitoring closely. There should be a clearer idea of his availability once he attempts to throw a bullpen session either this weekend or early next week. Stay tuned.

Rocker gets the nod to open the season in Texas’ rotation with Jacob Latz heading to the bullpen. It qualifies as a bit of a surprise considering how inconsistent the former top prospect was in his opportunities with the Rangers last year. The 26-year-old has turned in an impressive spring with a 4.26 ERA and 14/3 K/BB ratio across 12 2/3 innings of work. He’s talented enough to make a fantasy impact, especially in deeper mixed leagues, but there’s enough evidence to suggest a wait-and-see approach in shallower formats.

Latz also issued a pair of walks in the ballgame while punching out five opposing hitters. The Brewers scratched out a run against him in the first inning then piled on with three more in the second — including solo home runs from Gary Sanchez and Luis Rengifo. Latz then allowed an additional five runs in the third inning before he was mercifully removed. He has had a brutal spring overall, posting an 8.22 ERA, 1.70 WHIP and a 15/8 K/BB ratio over 15 1/3 innings.

Latz allowed three hits and three walks on the afternoon. The damage done against him all came in the opening inning as Mickey Moniak hit a sacrifice fly and Charlie Condon added a run-scoring single. Latz settled in nicely afterwards and kept them off the board for the next three innings. He got 14 swings and misses on 66 pitches on the day, posting a strong CSW of 36 percent. For the spring, the 29-year-old hurler holds an uninspiring 5.11 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and a 10/6 K/BB ratio across 12 1/3 innings.

Both runners he left on base in the fourth came around to score, hurting his ERA. Kumar Rocker hasn’t been very impressive, so Latz should have the edge for the fifth spot in the Texas rotation, at least initially. Cody Bradford might be a factor come May.

Latz, 29, is attempting to win one of the final spots in the Texas rotation. He allowed allowed three hits, and both runs came on a homer by Cole Young in the second inning. Latz has a good chance of winning that final spot, but there’s very little fantasy upside in his profile.

Latz struck out six and walked none in his final attempt to add to his case for a spot in next year’s rotation. He finishes up with a 2.72 ERA over 39 2/3 innings in eight starts to go along with a 2.93 ERA in 25 relief appearances. One imagines the Rangers will add at least one starter alongside Jacob deGrom, Nathan Eovaldi and Jack Leiter, which could leave one spot for Latz, Kumar Rocker and anyone else who might step up.

Latz was pulled after giving up the first run of the game in the fifth. With one out and a man on third, Juan Soto hit a grounder down the first base line. Rowdy Tellez grabbed it and then tried for the double play by tagging first and throwing home. He nearly pulled it off, too, but Francisco Alvarez just beat the tag. Even though the bases were empty with two outs at that point, Latz still got pulled. His latest nice effort has him sporting a 2.25 ERA over 20 innings in four starts since he moved from the pen to the rotation. He’ll probably face the Marlins next weekend, and if he does, he’ll be a nice streaming play. However, it’s not assured that he’ll start, since the Rangers do have two days off coming up and Tyler Mahle due back from the IL.

Latz has made six starts and 23 relief appearances for the Rangers, but this was just his second decision, both of them wins. He’s 1-0 with a 2.73 ERA and a 24/11 K/BB over 29 2/3 innings in his six starts. Latz doesn’t have a true standout offering, but his 92-96 mph fastball has been really effective this year. He has a good case for remaining in the rotation after Tyler Mahle returns this weekend, but the Rangers might think he’d be more valuable out of the pen.