ARLINGTON, Texas — Kumar Rocker said he did not get the job done after allowing 6 runs over 5 innings in a 7-6 Texas Rangers loss to the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday night at Globe Life Field.
Rocker entered in the third inning behind two openers. He fell to 5-11 and gave up 9 hits, 5 of the runs earned, with 3 strikeouts and no walks.
“I can live with solo homers. But I had a lot of guys in the hole. When you get bled to death with four runs, that’s something I can’t let happen,” Rocker said.
“Whenever I’m called to take the ball, I try to go out there and compete to the fullest that I can,” Rocker continued. “And tonight I didn’t do it. That was on me. I did not get the job done for the team.”
How The Tampa Bay Rays Got To Kumar Rocker
Jonathan Aranda homered off Rocker in the third inning and Richie Palacios homered with two outs in the fourth. Yandy Díaz, Aranda, and Junior Caminero then opened the fifth with three consecutive opposite-field doubles.
Victor Mesa Jr. blooped a single to shallow center with one out in the fifth, and Caminero scored while Mesa took second on an error by Evan Carter. Mesa later scored during a rundown to put Tampa Bay ahead 6-1.
The 9 hits were the second most Rocker has allowed in a game. He gave up 10 on Aug. 2 at Houston. It was the most by a Rangers reliever since Caleb Boushley allowed 10 on June 22, 2025, at Pittsburgh.
Texas opened with right-hander Trevor Williams and left-hander Robby Ahlstrom. Williams worked a scoreless first inning and struck out Aranda. Ahlstrom stranded the bases loaded in the second and allowed 1 hit.
Kumar Rocker’s Season And The Texas Rangers Opener Plan
The Rangers had used an opener twice this season, both times ahead of Rocker and both times on the road. Rocker carries an 8.63 ERA in the first inning this season, the second-highest mark in the majors among pitchers with at least 20 first innings, behind only teammate Jacob deGrom at 9.00. His ERA in all other innings entering Friday was 3.49.
Rocker entered Friday at 5-10 with a 4.44 ERA over 26 appearances and 24 starts. He won the fifth rotation spot in spring training over Jacob Latz, who has 28 saves and a 1.63 ERA over 49 appearances and was an All-Star this season.
Elias Díaz hit the first Texas grand slam of the season in the seventh inning off Garrett Cleavinger to cut the lead to 6-5. Elias Díaz drove in 5 runs, and Ezequiel Duran led off the second inning with a home run.
Nick Martinez improved to 14-4 for Tampa Bay, allowing 3 runs on 5 hits over 6 1/3 innings. Caminero singled home a run in the ninth, and Tyler Wells recorded his sixth save after Bryan Baker left the game with a trainer.
Rocker has thrown 134 2/3 innings this season, more than in any year of his professional career. He threw 28 innings in the minors in 2023, 36 2/3 in the minors and 11 2/3 in the majors in 2024, and 64 1/3 in the majors in 2025.
Texas fell to 70-72 and matched its largest deficit in the American League West this season at 3 games after Houston beat Arizona 3-1. Tampa Bay improved to 84-57. Texas had won four of five entering Friday. Drew Rasmussen (14-5, 2.95 ERA) is scheduled to start for Tampa Bay on Saturday against Rangers right-hander Jacob deGrom (10-9, 4.00) at Globe Life Field.
