Kumar Rocker made his long-awaited major league debut on Thursday night. The game was a mix of highs and lows for the highly anticipated rookie.
Rocker pitched four innings for the Texas Rangers in their series opener against the Seattle Mariners. It marked the end of a long path for Rocker, who was a standout college player and is now a top pitching prospect for the Rangers.
With his parents in the stands, Rocker had a rough start. He gave up a single to Victor Robles on his very first pitch and another single to Julio Rodriguez. However, he managed to get out of the first inning without allowing any runs by striking out Cal Raleigh and Randy Arozarena, and getting a flyout from Luke Raley.
During his debut, Rocker struck out seven batters and occasionally left Seattle hitters unsure of how to respond. He did give up his first career home run to Justin Turner in the fourth inning, which was also the first run he allowed.
Rocker was taken out of the game after 74 pitches. He gave up three hits, walked two batters, and had seven strikeouts.
After a successful college career at Vanderbilt, Rocker was drafted 10th overall by the Mets in 2021 but did not sign due to health concerns. The Rangers selected him third overall in 2022. He recovered from Tommy John surgery in May 2023 and earned his spot in the major leagues.
Texas general manager Chris Young mentioned that it was an exciting time for the Rangers with Rocker’s debut and the upcoming returns of Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer. Young highlighted Rocker’s fast progression through the minor leagues and his chance to pitch in the majors.
