Jacob

Latz

Latz fanned one and got a couple of easy flyballs to end the game. It’s the first time in eight appearances this month that he went without walking a batter. Only the first of those appearances was a bad one, though. He’s pitched nine scoreless innings and collected six saves in his last seven outings.

Latz gave up a leadoff double to Christian Moore with a two-run lead, but he got out of it after intentionally walking Mike Trout with two outs and striking out Moisés Ballesteros to end the game. He’s pitched eight scoreless innings and earned five saves over his last six appearances.

The task became a bit easier for Latz after the Rangers tacked on an insurance run in the eighth inning, giving him an extra run to work with. He did issue a one-out walk to Harry Ford, but nothing came of it as Latz struck out each of the other three hitters that he faced. The 30-year-old southpaw has now converted 25 of his first 28 save chances on the season while posting a minuscule 1.75 ERA and a 61/15 K/BB ratio across 57 innings of work. He has been an absolute gold mine for fantasy managers who picked him up early in the season.

Latz hadn’t pitched since Monday, so the Rangers asked him for six outs tonight, and he recorded them without incident. He did allow a hit in the eighth, but a caught stealing allowed him to face the minimum over the two innings. Since he did throw 36 pitches, he’ll probably be unavailable Sunday.

Latz shook off his first blown save in nearly two months in his most recent outing to finish this one off. He had some help though, as Christian Franklin laced a double down the line with two outs in the ninth and looked like it would score Leody Taveras from first base until a perfect relay from Brandon Nimmo to Nicky Lopez nailed him at the plate. That finished off his sixth six-out save of the season and he has a phenomenal 1.87 ERA.

Latz was summoned in the ninth inning with a two-run lead against the Giants on Tuesday. Oddly enough, it was the left-handed hitters that got to him. Latz gave up a base hit and walked a batter to put two runners on with one out. A wild pitch would put them in scoring position before Bryce Eldridge knocked a base hit to tie the game. Latz would retire the next two batters to get out of the inning with a tie. The Rangers would walk it off in the ninth, crediting Latz with a win despite his first blown save since May 13.

MLB Network’s Jon Morosi hears the same. Eovaldi has no-trade protection, which can be a big hurdle with deadline deals. If the Rangers sell, they’d be doing so while still possessing a 37 percent chance of reaching the playoffs, according to Fangraphs’ odds. They’re in a virtual tie with the Mariners, 2 1/2 games back of the Astros in the AL West.

Latz had given up runs in his last two appearances, but didn’t allow a hit nor a walk to keep the Rays off the board. The left-hander has been a revelation in the Rangers’ bullpen — and for fantasy managers — as this scoreless frame lowers his ERA to a healthy 1.80, and it’s already the 21st save of the season for the southpaw.

Latz allowed a one-out double to Colt Emerson, but that would be the only baserunner he would allow in the inning. Emerson would eventually come around to score on a wild pitch, giving Latz his first earned run since June 25th, but the lefty still managed to secure the save. He is now a perfect 13-for-13 in save opportunities since June.

Latz entered the game with a man on first and two outs in the eighth inning. He got Drake Baldwin to line out before tossing a perfect ninth inning that included a strikeout of Matt Olson. Latz has 19 saves and a 1.57 ERA this year.