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Leclerc gave up one hit and struck out two over 1.2 innings to notch his first career major-league save in Wednesday's 8-3 win over the Angels.
The back of the Rangers' bullpen may be in turmoil right now, but Leclerc's save doesn't necessarily suggest he'll be in the closer mix going forward. He came on in the eighth inning to face Mike Trout and Albert Pujols and protect a three-run lead, then saw the Rangers tack on two insurance runs in the top of the ninth to remove the need for a closer in the ninth. That said, the fact that manager Jeff Banister entrusted the 23-year-old with that assignment at all is a sign that he's moving into more of a high-leverage role. Leclerc's numbers through four appearances certainly warrant a promotion, as he has a 0.00 ERA and 7:0 K:BB in 5.1 innings.
