Starter Spotlight: Between a Rocker and a Hard Place

6-21-2025 – By Michael Castrignano – @412DoublePlay on X

After a tough opposing starter in multi-Cy Young winner, the Bucs will hope they can have more success against a struggling starter in Kumar Rocker, who has tossed 28.1 major league innings this year with a 7.31 ERA and 1.69 WHIP entering the day.

The rookie Rocker has had an unconventional path to the major leagues, spurring the Mets after being chosen third overall as some medical issues led to a lower-than-expected signing bonus offer in 2021 and returning to school.

His 2022 draft saw him taken 10th by the Rangers, where he been aggressively promoted through the system as he has just 75.2 minor league innings with a 2.50 ERA, 0.89 WHIP and 109 strikeouts over the past few seasons.

The 6’5 righty debuted with Texas last September and had a solid first few outings in the majors, compiling a 3.86 ERA over 11.2 innings pitched in 2024; however, he displayed some uncharacteristic control issues with a wild pitch, a hit batter and six walks in that time.

He’s doing better this season at limiting free passes (only 8 through 28.1 innings) but has hit two batters and tossed 4 wild pitches so the control problems still show up at times. He’s also not striking out batters at nearly the clip he is accustomed to as he has seen his K rate drop from 32.1% at AAA last season to 20.1% with the Rangers this year.

Rocker throws from a side-arm slot, utilizing a mid-90s 4-seam/2-seam fastball combo w it h a mid-80s slider to generate ground-balls at an above average rate. He mixes in a low-90s cutter, high-70s curve and high-80a change but mainly uses the fastball/slider options against opponents.

The Rangers’ 2nd ranked prospect has been successful against righties with his slider in particular being an effective weapon with right-handed opponents batting .200 with a 44.2% whiff rate. Unfortunately for him, however, lefties have been CRUSHING him, batting .333 against the slider, .360 against his sinker and .474 against the 4-seam fastball.

Stack lefties and attack the heat or hanging slider. He has big extension which makes his stuff play up but hitters have been squaring him up early this year so hopefully, the Buccos can keep piling on and get a weekend win.

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