Ragans allowed four runs on four hits and two walks while striking out four over three innings in Monday's 12-0 loss to Atlanta.
Ragans ceded his first two home runs of the season in clean-up work following rookie starter Cody Bradford, who allowed six earned runs over five innings. Eating multiple innings in relief is Ragans' job, and he's hit some bumps along the way. The left-hander has allowed 12 runs over his last 12.1 innings.
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Rangers' Cole Ragans: Plays major role in loss
Rotowire
Ragans allowed five runs on three hits and one walk over two-thirds of an inning in Tuesday's 7-6 loss to the Reds. He also hit a batter.
Ragans managed to avoid getting the loss -- that went to Ian Kennedy -- but the fault falls mostly on Ragans. It was the second straight bullpen meltdown by Texas relievers. The bullpen had been strong to begin the season but are in a rough patch, posting a 6.75 ERA over 13.1 innings since the start of the series with the Athletics last week.
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Rangers' Cole Ragans: Handed first loss Saturday
Rotowire
Ragans (2-1) allowed two runs on five hits while striking out three over four innings, picking up the loss in Saturday's game against the Astros.
Ragans was forced to enter the game when starter Jon Gray was removed following a comebacker off his elbow. That's never an easy situation for a pitcher, but the 25-year-old lefty filled up the zone (40 of 55 pitches for strikes) in an effort to get quick outs and eat up as many innings as possible. "Cole did a good job for us, gave us some much needed innings," Texas manager Bruce Bochy told Kenndi Landry of MLB.com. "He did a really nice job getting us some length to the seventh inning." Gray's injury appears to be a minor one, and he could make his next start, so Ragans may not be needed for a spot start. The lefty, who was a minor-league starter, has adjusted well to a bullpen role in 2023, giving up two runs on seven hits while striking out nine over nine innings (six outings). Of note, after issuing four free passes in his first 3.1 innings, Ragans is walk-free over the last 5.2 frames.
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Rangers' Cole Ragans: Picks up win
Rotowire
Ragans (2-0) retired both of the batters faced in the top of the 10th inning to earn the win over Kansas City on Tuesday.
Ragans entered with one out and two on in the top of the 10th inning and gave up a flyball that plated a run charged to Jose Leclerc before getting the final out. When the Rangers scored four in the bottom half, it made Ragans a winner for the second time in 2023. The young left-hander has not allowed a run in five relief outings.
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Rangers' Cole Ragans: Strikes out three
Rotowire
Ragans allowed one hit and one walk while striking out three over 1.1 scoreless innings in Friday's 2-0 loss to the Cubs.
Ragans held the Cubs in check over the sixth and the seventh innings, but Texas bats (three hits) could never get on track. The hard-throwing left-hander has walked four batters over 3.1 innings but managed to prevent damage while striking out five. With the news that Jake Odorizzi will have season-ending shoulder surgery, Ragans should continue to serve as a reliever capable of multiple innings.
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Rangers' Cole Ragans: Dominates early
Rotowire
Ragans allowed two runs on four hits and one walk while striking out five over 3.2 innings in Saturday's start against the Reds.
Ragans dominated Cincinnati early, getting through the first three innings one batter over the minimum, but the left-hander tired in the fourth. Nevertheless, Ragans has been one of the top stories in camp due to increased fastball velocity. He leads Texas with 14 strikeouts over 9.2 innings. With the rotation all but set in stone, Ragans, who made nine starts for Texas last season, could serve in the bullpen at the MLB level or continue on a starter's path at Triple-A Round Rock and be ready when the Rangers need a fill-in.
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Rangers' Cole Ragans: Lights it up Sunday
Rotowire
Ragans allowed one run on two hits while striking out four over three innings in Sunday's spring start against the Angels.
Ragans allowed a leadoff triple then retired nine of the next 10 batters faced. The left-hander turned heads this spring with a significant increase in velocity. The pitcher who sat at 92.1 mph during a nine-start introduction to the majors last season is living around 94-96 -- and topped out at 99 a couple of times -- in Cactus League play, per Kennedi Landry of MLB.com. Ragans has allowed one run and walked just one (3.6 BB/9 last season) over six spring innings. "He's pounding the strike zone. And then you look at the stuff, there's no getting around it," Texas manager Bruce Bochy said. "It's up from where it was last year, the velocity, but you look at the offspeed pitches, the changeup, the breaking ball -- he's been sharp from Day One, including bullpens and live BPs." Ragans is expected to serve as a depth starter in the organization, but with nagging spring injuries among the projected rotation, he could be up sooner rather than later.
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Rangers' Cole Ragans: Increases velocity
Rotowire
Texas manager Bruce Bochy said Ragans was hitting 95-96 mph during his first Cactus League start last Sunday, Levi Weaver of The Athletic reports.
Ragans' fastball velocity was 92.1 mph in 2022, putting him in the 19th percentile among pitchers. The velocity increase is startling. "I went back and looked at (last year's) games when I came over, and watched him," Bochy said. "It was impressive, wasn't it? He was bumping 96 (mph). I didn't see that in (last year's) games." The left-hander said he was on a program at a place called Tread Athletics, which he credits with the added 3-4 mph velocity. He's not a projected member of the five-man rotation, but he could move up among the depth options if the uptick in velocity is sustainable.
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Rangers' Cole Ragans: Makes spring debut
Rotowire
Ragans allowed one walk and struck out three over two scoreless innings in Sunday's spring game against Cleveland.
Ragans made nine starts in the majors last season but should serve as an organizational depth option in 2023 after Texas added several seasoned starters during the offseason. The lefty had a pair of Tommy John elbow surgeries that wiped out 2018 through 2020 and could use more starts in the minors. In 40 innings against major-league hitters, Ragans' 9.2 BB% and 1.35 HR/9 were higher than league average and his 15.5 K% was lower than average.
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Rangers' Cole Ragans: Lands on injured list
Rotowire
Ragans was placed on the 15-day injured list with a left calf strain Monday.
Ragans made his final start of the year against the Angels on Saturday and allowed a run on four hits and a walk while striking out two in five innings to settle for a no-decision. Even though he wouldn't have pitched again in 2022, he's dealing with a calf issue that will force him to finish the year on the IL. It's not yet clear whether the injury will have any impact on his offseason program.
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Rangers' Cole Ragans: Takes loss Sunday
Rotowire
Ragans (0-3) took the loss Sunday, allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits and one walk over five innings against the Guardians. He struck out three.
After facing the minimum through two innings, Ragans ran into trouble in the third. The Guardians recorded four singles in the inning, which along with a throwing error, led to Cleveland scoring four runs. Ragans made it through the next two innings with relative ease, but it wasn't enough to avoid taking his third loss. Sunday marked his first start of at least five innings since Aug. 17, a trend he will try to continue in his next start, which will likely come against the Angels this weekend.
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Rangers' Cole Ragans: Escapes with no-decision
Rotowire
Ragans allowed two runs on seven hits and no walks while striking out five over 4.2 innings in a no-decision versus the Angels on Tuesday.
Ragans limited the damage to a Matt Duffy two-run home run in the second inning, which went down the left-field line. This was Ragans' fourth straight no-decision, and it was also his longest of three starts since returning from a calf injury. The southpaw lowered his season ERA to 5.40 with a 1.57 WHIP and 22:14 K:BB, and he notably avoided issuing a walk for the first time in seven outings. He's projected for a weekend start at home versus the Guardians.
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Rangers' Cole Ragans: Hit hard in home start
Rotowire
Ragans took a no-decision Tuesday versus the Athletics, allowing seven runs on eight hits and a walk while striking out five in four innings.
Ragans got a bit more stretched out, throwing 70 pitches (48 strikes) in his second start back from a calf injury. He's had trouble with Oakland through his first two starts versus the Rangers' divisional rivals, allowing 10 runs across nine innings. The 24-year-old southpaw is clearly still adjusting to the majors with a 5.68 ERA and 1.58 WHIP through 25.1 innings, though he was able to walk just one batter for the second time in six starts. He's projected for a home start versus the Angels next week.
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Rangers' Cole Ragans: Drawing another start
Rotowire
Ragans is slated to start Tuesday's game against the Athletics at Globe Life Field.
Ragans returned to action last week following a brief stint on the 15-day injured list with a calf strain, pitching three scoreless frames in a start in Houston on Sept. 7. Because he didn't head out on a minor-league rehab assignment beforehand, Ragans tossed only 49 pitches in the outing, and he could be limited to around the 60-to-75-pitch range this week when he makes his second straight turn through the rotation.
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Rangers' Cole Ragans: Decent in return
Rotowire
Ragans (calf) issued three walks and struck out three over three scoreless and hitless innings in a no-decision versus the Astros on Wednesday.
Ragans missed a couple of weeks with a minor left calf strain. The southpaw was solid, though a little wild, in his return. He threw 49 pitches (26 strikes) in this outing, and he's yet to complete more than five innings in any of his five major-league appearances. He has a 3.80 ERA, 1.45 WHIP and 12:13 K:BB through 21.1 innings for the Rangers. Ragans should continue to get an extended look in the rotation, and he's projected for a favorable home start versus the Athletics next week.
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Rangers' Cole Ragans: Activated prior to start
Rotowire
Ragans (calf) was reinstated from the 15-day injured list ahead of Wednesday's start against the Astros.
Ragans landed on the IL in late August due to a left calf strain, but his injury wasn't considered serious, and he'll rejoin the Rangers' rotation following a relatively brief absence. Over his first four major-league starts, the 24-year-old has posted a 4.42 ERA and 1.53 WHIP in 18.1 innings.
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Rangers' Cole Ragans: Confirmed as Wednesday's starter
Rotowire
Ragans (calf) will start Wednesday's game in Houston, Levi Weaver of The Athletic reports.
This was anticipated earlier in the week and now we have confirmation. Ragans logged a 4.42 ERA, 1.53 WHIP and 9:10 K:BB in 18.1 innings across his first four MLB starts.
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Rangers' Cole Ragans: Out with calf strain
Rotowire
Ragans was placed on the 15-day injured list with a strained left calf Friday.
Ragans made his MLB debut in early August and recorded a 4.42 ERA in his first four starts, though his 9:10 K:BB suggests things could have gone much worse. He'll miss at least two turns in the rotation, with Dallas Keuchel expected to take his place.
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Rangers' Cole Ragans: Beat by the long ball Wednesday
Rotowire
Ragans (0-2) took the loss Wednesday, allowing three runs on four hits and one walk over five innings in a 7-2 loss against the Athletics. He struck out three.
The rookie was tagged for two home runs off the bat of Sean Murphy, which accounted for all three runs allowed on the night. He was able to get through five innings on just 83 pitches as he allowed just one walk, a welcome sign after he walked a combined seven over his first two starts in the big leagues. He will carry a 5.02 ERA into his next start.
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Rangers' Cole Ragans: Problems in Houston
Rotowire
Ragans (0-2) took the loss Thursday against the Astros, allowing five runs on six hits and three walks while striking out one in 4.1 innings.
Ragans was unable to follow his strong big-league debut with a similar performance. Both Martin Maldonado and Alex Bregman launched moonshots off Ragans as the Astros got out to a 5-0 lead. He struggled with his command throughout the outing and tossed just 49 of his 88 pitches for strikes. Through 9.1 innings in the majors, the 24-year-old has a 4:7 K:BB after posting a 113:31 K:BB in 94.2 minor-league innings. His next start will likely come early next week against Oakland.
