Rangers rookie pitcher threw 5 2/3 scoreless innings in his major league debut against the Red Sox on Saturday. It wasn’t a flawless start -- he walked five while striking out only two -- but it was a good way to begin his career nevertheless.
Gonzalez upped the ante on Friday by tossing a three-hit shutout against the Royals. This time, he walked only two while striking out two, and all three hits were singles. As ESPN Stats & Info notes, Gonzalez is the first Rangers rookie to toss a shutout within his first two starts since Len Barker in 1976. The 23-year-old entered the season as a consensus top-100 prospect in baseball and compiled a 4.15 ERA with a 26/19 K/BB ratio with Triple-A Round Rock prior to his promotion to the majors.
