Wednesday Newsletter time: Hey, the Texas Rangers actually won. Hey, don't trade Joey Gallo.
The losing streak ends at 12 as Joey Gallo throws out two runners, clubs a three-run homer and thanks the fans.
The Texas Rangers have secured a second-half victory. It took until the 11th game and being at home and playing the worst team in baseball, but the Rangers are not going to complain.
The 5-4 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks snapped a 12-game losing streak that started July 10. Dane Dunning allowed two runs in a season-high 6 1/3 innings, Nathaniel Lowe provided a two-run double in the Rangers’ five-run fourth, and trade target Ian Kennedy picked up his first save since the Rangers’ last win July 9.
Joey Gallo, though, was the star of the game, which opened with him throwing out Arizona leadoff hitter Kole Calhoun at second base. Gallo added a second outfield assist from right field in the fourth, and then swatted a three-run homer two batters after Lowe’s double.
Gallo’s performance shows why the Rangers should hold him. Yeah, he didn’t come through with runners in scoring position in the first and third innings, but he was dead set on not missing in the fourth.
He’s their best player and would be an impact player once they are ready to contend again.
Gallo said before the game, yet again, that he doesn’t want to be traded and would like to sign a contract extension, either this week, in the offseason or next spring.
After the game, he took time on the TV broadcast to thank the fans for all that they have done for him, in case he is traded. He even thanked and hugged Rangers dugout reporter Emily Jones.
So, to sum up, Gallo has some of the best power in baseball, he’s arguably the best right fielder in baseball, he plays harder than anyone on the team, he wants to be with the last-place Rangers and he has the charisma to be the face of the franchise.
The Rangers will be kicking themselves if they trade Gallo.
Closing in on Leiter, Zavala
President of baseball operations Jon Daniels said last week that he believed the Rangers would sign their top remaining unsigned draft picks. They are on their way to doing that.
First-round pick Jack Leiter (second overall) and second-rounder Aaron Zavala (38th overall) are in Arlington for their physical exams, which rates as one of the final steps before their first professional contracts are completed.
Zavala, an outfielder from Oregon, was an on-field guest of the Rangers on Monday during batting practice. Leiter, a right-hander from Vanderbilt, was not at Globe Life Field, a source said.
The deadline to sign draftees is Sunday, two days after the trade deadline. The slot value for Leiter is $7,789,900 and $1,952,300 for Zavala. The other remaining unsigned draftee in the top 10 is eighth-rounder Larson Kindreich, a left-hander from Biola University (slot of $191,500).
Upon signing, all draftees will head to Arizona for a mini-camp that started this week. Not all of them are going to play this season amid workload concerns after not playing much in 2020.
Drama in Seattle
As soon as you finish reading this newsletter and becoming a paid subscriber, take a look at this story from Seattle Times Mariners beat writer Ryan Divish.
The Mariners traded away closer Kendall Graveman and former Rangers closer Rafael Montero to Houston on Tuesday for infielder Abraham Toro and veteran reliever Joe Smith.
Graveman had been the Mariners’ best reliever in a very good bullpen and was a popular player. According to Divish’s story, the trade with a division rival was wildly unpopular with Seattle players who believe the Mariners are on the cusp of the postseason.
There were tears, busted up equipment and lots of cussing, which Jeff Wilson’s Texas Rangers Newsletter fully endorses.
Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto said the move is one in a series of forthcoming deals that will help the Graveman trade make sense. They added starter Tyler Anderson late Tuesday.
But until all those deals are actually consummated, Mariners players aren’t buying it.
Doggy video!
The Gene Simmons of dogs. Enjoy. See you Thursday.
