Leclerc allowed two hits and one walk over one-third of an inning to get a hold in Wednesday's 3-2 win over Pittsburgh.
Leclerc had made a stretch of low-leverage appearances before getting the call to pitch the eighth inning of a one-run game Wednesday. He retired the first batter then allowed the next three to reach, and he was removed after 16 pitches (eight strikes). Closer Will Smith escaped from the frame unscathed and returned for the ninth inning to complete a five-out save.
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Rangers' Jose Leclerc: Will work in low-leverage spots
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Leclerc allowed one run on two hits while striking out one over one inning in Sunday's 16-8 win over the Angels.
Leclerc worked the final inning and ceded a solo home run to Hunter Renfroe. The one-time closer will be used in low-leverage situations, per Shawn McFarland of the Dallas Morning News, and they don't get much lower than pitching with your team leading by nine runs to begin the ninth inning. Will Smith has taken over as the team's primary closer.
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Rangers' Jose Leclerc: Short stint in loss
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Leclerc allowed two runs on two walks and one hit over a one-third of an inning in Wednesday's 12-7 loss to the Diamondbacks.
On the day manager Bruce Bochy anointed Will Smith the team's sole closer, Leclerc had the kind of effort that reinforced the manager's decision. He walked the first two batters faced, the second of which produced the go-ahead run charged to Josh Sborz. A couple of batters later -- a sacrifice fly and a single -- and Leclerc's night was done. Leclerc has issued a passel of walks to start the season -- nine over 10 innings -- but until Wednesday, they hadn't hurt him.
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Rangers' Jose Leclerc: Loses hold of closer's role
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Rangers manager Bruce Bochy confirmed Wednesday that Will Smith rather than Leclerc will see the majority of the team's save opportunities moving forward, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.
Bochy's pronouncement comes after Leclerc was bypassed for the save opportunity in Tuesday's 6-4 win over the Diamondbacks in favor of Smith, who recorded the game's final four outs en route to notching his fourth save in as many chances. Leclerc and Smith had opened the season in something of a closing committee, and despite posting a strong 0.93 ERA and 1.14 WHIP through his first 10 appearances of the season, Leclerc's 18.4 percent walk rate didn't bode well for his chances of avoiding a blowup somewhere down the line. Until Leclerc shows he can throw strikes with more consistency, Smith looks like he'll maintain a firm grip on the closer's gig.
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Rangers' Jose Leclerc: Bypassed for save opportunity
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Leclerc was not used in a save situation in Tuesday's 6-4 win over Arizona.
Will Smith closed out the win instead of Leclerc, who hasn't been given a save opportunity since blowing his second of the season, April 24, against the Reds. Leclerc hasn't pitched in five days and was rested, but manager Bruce Bochy opted for Smith for a second straight save opportunity. Leclerc's 0.93 ERA hides the seven walks he's allowed and a 6.14 xFIP over 9.2 innings.
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Rangers' Jose Leclerc: Part of bullpen meltdown
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Leclerc (0-1) allowed three walks and an unearned run over a third of an inning, picking up the loss in Monday's game against the Reds.
The base on balls -- an old Leclerc bugaboo -- reared itself once again. With the Rangers up, 6-4, in the bottom of the eighth inning, Leclerc entered a bases-loaded, two-out situation and promptly walked the first two batters faced (11 pitches, three strikes). He was eventually pulled after walking the first batter faced in the bottom of the ninth on four pitches. That run came home to score, in part due to a wild pitch by Will Smith, which made it unearned. The blown save was Leclerc's second of the season and second in as many outings.
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Rangers' Jose Leclerc: Shuts door Friday
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Leclerc pitched a perfect ninth inning in Friday's 6-2 win over Houston.
Leclerc had been warming up when the Rangers plated an insurance run, making it a non-save situation. Still, it was a nice bounce back for Leclerc, who blew a save in his previous outing Tuesday versus the Royals.
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Rangers' Jose Leclerc: Picks up first save
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Leclerc picked up the save after striking out one in a scoreless ninth inning during Wednesday's 5-2 win over the Orioles.
Leclerc got the call in the ninth after Will Smith, who picked up the Rangers' first save opportunity Sunday against Philadelphia, worked 1.1 innings following Jacob deGrom's start. It appears Leclerc and Smith are going to split closing opportunities to open the season, which would seem to limit both players' overall fantasy upside. Leclerc now has two strikeouts across two scoreless innings to start the year.
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Rangers' Jose Leclerc: Still in closer mix
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Texas manager Bruce Bochy told his bullpen on Opening Day that Leclerc would be the closer to start the season, but the manager called on Will Smith to close out Sunday's win over the Phillies, Shawn McFarland of the Dallas Morning News reports.
Smith said he was surprised to get the call Sunday, given what Bochy had told members of the bullpen days earlier. The manager talked about bullpen versatility, indicating he could use any of his closer candidates in any situation. "It's a very versatile bullpen where I can use them in the fifth, sixth or high-leverage situations in the eighth and ninth," Bochy said. "It's a fun bullpen. Balance with the lefties and righties... there may be times where really all of them could [close] at some point." It appears Leclerc remains in the mix for saves, but Bochy may not have one set closer.
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Rangers' Jose Leclerc: First in line to close
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Leclerc is likely to see the save opportunity for the Rangers should one arise Thursday against the Phillies, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.
Leclerc has been seen as the favorite to close for a while, but his velocity was down this spring and manager Bruce Bochy had hedged his bets previously. However, it does appear the right-hander is indeed at the top of the pecking order. Will Smith, Jonathan Hernandez and Ian Kennedy could be options to close if Leclerc stumbles.
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Rangers' Jose Leclerc: Throws back-to-back days
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Leclerc struck out two over a scoreless inning in a Double-A game Thursday, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reports.
Leclerc threw on back-to-back days for the first time this spring then dismissed any concerns over his decrease in velocity. "It's the same thing every year in spring training for me," the right-hander said. "But during the season, it picks up. It will be alright." Leclerc's fastball is living in the 92-93 mph range this spring after averaging over 96 mph in 2022. He remains the leading candidate to close games for the Rangers.
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Rangers' Jose Leclerc: Escapes jam, creates another
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Leclerc allowed one hit and two walks while striking out three over 1.1 scoreless relief innings in Thursday's spring game against the Dodgers.
Leclerc entered in the eighth inning and extricated the Rangers from a jam created by Marc Church. An inning later, Texas' probable closer had to escape a bases-loaded jam of his own making. The right-hander appears to be over the neck injury that paused his spring development for a week and has yet to allow a run over 4.1 Cactus League innings.
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Rangers' Jose Leclerc: Makes 'B' game appearance
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Leclerc (neck) threw 14 pitches in a scoreless inning in a "B" game Tuesday, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.
Leclerc allowed a bloop double but nothing else and his neck injury did not hinder him at all in the appearance. The reliever would seem to be ready for a Cactus League appearance next, although that hasn't been confirmed. Leclerc is competing for the Rangers' closer job and, if healthy, might be the favorite to win it.
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Rangers' Jose Leclerc: Throws bullpen Sunday
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Leclerc (neck) threw a bullpen session Sunday, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reports.
Leclerc appeared in two Cactus League games before succumbing to neck stiffness. Sunday's session was his first since being shut down the middle of last week.
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Rangers' Jose Leclerc: Pulls out of World Baseball Classic
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Manager Bruce Bochy said Thursday that Leclerc (neck) will no longer play for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic, Kennedi Landry of MLB.com reports.
Leclerc is dealing with some left neck tightness, so he and the Rangers have decided it's best he skip the WBC. It is not clear when Leclerc might be cleared to return to Cactus League play. He is the favorite to open the season as the Rangers' primary closer.
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Rangers' Jose Leclerc: Dealing with neck tightness
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Rangers general manager Chris Young said Wednesday that Leclerc is dealing with left neck discomfort, Kennedi Landry of MLB.com reports.
Leclerc is currently scheduled to take part in the World Baseball Classic for the Dominican Republic, but Young said that the Rangers staff is evaluating how the injury might affect the reliever's participation. Whether Leclerc sits out the WBC or not, fantasy managers will still want to keep an eye on updates pertaining to the right-handed hurler, who looks to be the top option for saves out of the Texas bullpen to open the 2023 season.
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Rangers' Jose Leclerc: Logs first spring inning
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Leclerc allowed one hit and walked one over a scoreless fourth inning in Monday's spring game against the Reds.
Leclerc's appearance in the fourth inning, following starter Martin Perez's three-inning stint, indicates he's the team's closer, or at least part of the mix to save games. At this stage of the Cactus League, closers appear earlier in games when an opponent's best hitters are still in the lineup. Brock Burke, another candidate for saves, worked a scoreless seventh inning.
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Rangers' Jose Leclerc: Part of closer mix
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Texas manager Bruce Bochy said the team's closer situation is "somewhat fluid" then mentioned Leclerc's name first, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reports. "He's got great stuff and he's got a good way about him, when it comes to makeup," Bochy said. "He's got the weapons to finish a game, I know that."
Leclerc has the most end-of-game experience among potential closers, which could also include Joe Barlow, Brock Burke and Jonathan Hernandez. Leclerc was effective over the final stages of 2022, converting seven of nine opportunities with a 1.38 ERA over 26 innings while holding hitters to a .482 OPS. He fanned 36 percent of the batters he faced from Aug. 1 forward. Consistent command remains the one big hurdle. Leclerc posted a 4.0 BB/9 last season, including 3.8 during that final effective stretch.
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Rangers' Jose Leclerc: Closer frontrunner
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Leclerc appears to be the frontrunner to open the season as closer for the Rangers, Levi Weaver of The Athletic reports.
As Weaver notes, Leclerc finished the 2022 season on a high note after returning from Tommy John surgery with a 2.83 ERA, 54:21 K:BB and seven saves. While he should be considered the favorite, Rangers general manager Chris Young mentioned several options as potential stoppers, including Jonathan Hernandez, Ian Kennedy and Joe Barlow. Leclerc will need to perform well in the Cactus League, but right now, he seems like the Texas reliever to target in fantasy for those searching for saves.
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Rangers' Jose Leclerc: Gets option picked up
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The Rangers exercised Leclerc's $6 million team option for 2023 on Wednesday.
Leclerc missed most of the first two and a half months of the 2022 campaign while he recovered from last year's Tommy John surgery, but he re-emerged as a serviceable late-inning arm for Texas once he returned from the injured list. Over his 47.2 innings with Texas, Leclerc tallied a 2.83 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 54:21 K:BB. He finished the season as the Rangers' preferred end-game option and raked in seven saves in the process, and while he tentatively sits atop the bullpen depth chart at this early stage of the offseason, expect Texas to add some competition at the back end of the bullpen rather than handing Leclerc the closing gig outright.
