The Texas Rangers acquired Aroldis Chapman before the deadline and have other quality relievers, such as Brock Burke, Josh Sborz, Will Smith, and Cody Bradford.
The only truly elite arm in that bullpen, however, is right-hander Jose Leclerc.
Few relievers in baseball are tougher to hit than Leclerc: he might have occasional control blips, but when it comes to squaring him up, it’s almost impossible.
The numbers, as always, don’t lie.
“José Leclerc since start of 2017 (w/MLB ranks among relievers): .175 Opp. AVG – 2nd (behind Josh Hader), .593 Opp. OPS – 6th, 28.8 Hard-Hit % – 5th, .164 xBA – 2nd (behind Josh Hader), .271 xSLG – 2nd (Edwin Díaz) The @Rangers reliever has been DOMINANT,” MLB Now tweeted.
José Leclerc since start of 2017 (w/MLB ranks among relievers):
.175 Opp. AVG – 2nd (behind Josh Hader)
.593 Opp. OPS – 6th
28.8 Hard-Hit % – 5th
.164 xBA – 2nd (behind Josh Hader)
.271 xSLG – 2nd (Edwin Díaz)The @Rangers reliever has been DOMINANT. #GoAndTakeIt pic.twitter.com/xaD7hwIDtx
— MLB Now (@MLBNow) October 18, 2023
This is since the start of 2017, so the sample size is very large indeed.
Leclerc, for his career (which started a year earlier, in 2016), has a solid 3.03 ERA and 40 saves.
He has been a reliable arm even when the franchise was going through its most obscure years, after their last playoff berth in 2016 (before 2023).
He was around during the rough times and is now enjoying the good ones, as he should.
This season, the powerful relief arm posted a solid 2.68 ERA in 57 regular-season innings, with 28 walks and 67 strikeouts.
Perhaps the most impressive part of his statistical profile, however, is the 37 hits he allowed.
That’s what makes him special: getting a hit off him is very, very difficult.
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