Leclerc is likely to see the save opportunity for the Rangers should one arise Thursday against the Phillies, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.
Leclerc has been seen as the favorite to close for a while, but his velocity was down this spring and manager Bruce Bochy had hedged his bets previously. However, it does appear he is indeed at the top of the pecking order. Will Smith, Jonathan Hernandez and Ian Kennedy could be options to close if Leclerc stumbles.
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Rangers' Jose Leclerc: Throws back-to-back days
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Leclerc struck out two over a scoreless inning in a Double-A game Thursday, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reports.
Leclerc threw on back-to-back days for the first time this spring then dismissed any concerns over his decrease in velocity. "It's the same thing every year in spring training for me," the right-hander said. "But during the season, it picks up. It will be alright." Leclerc's fastball is living in the 92-93 mph range this spring after averaging over 96 mph in 2022. He remains the leading candidate to close games for the Rangers.
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Rangers' Jose Leclerc: Velocity down Wednesday
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Leclerc's fastball ranged from 92 to 94 mph Wednesday, down from the 96.5 mph it averaged in 2022, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reports.
Leclerc finished off Wednesday's spring game for the save, so reduced velocity doesn't necessarily mean he can't close games. That's something manager Bruce Bochy understands and about which he's not concerned, according to Grant. Leclerc cut down on fastball usage last season while increasing his slider and changeup. What he needs to do is fool batters with the change or have them chasing sliders outside the zone. If not, Leclerc will get behind in counts and may throw fastballs in hitters' counts. He's walked four batters in 6.2 Cactus League innings, so there are signs trouble, but he's managed to avoid damage with no earned runs allowed. In the event Leclerc doesn't pan out as the closer, Bochy could turn to Will Smith or non-roster invitee Ian Kennedy to save games.
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Rangers' Jose Leclerc: Escapes jam, creates another
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Leclerc allowed one hit and two walks while striking out three over 1.1 scoreless relief innings in Thursday's spring game against the Dodgers.
Leclerc entered in the eighth inning and extricated the Rangers from a jam created by Marc Church. An inning later, Texas' probable closer had to escape a bases-loaded jam of his own making. The right-hander appears to be over the neck injury that paused his spring development for a week and has yet to allow a run over 4.1 Cactus League innings.
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Rangers' Jose Leclerc: Makes 'B' game appearance
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Leclerc (neck) threw 14 pitches in a scoreless inning in a "B" game Tuesday, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.
Leclerc allowed a bloop double but nothing else and his neck injury did not hinder him at all in the appearance. The reliever would seem to be ready for a Cactus League appearance next, although that hasn't been confirmed. Leclerc is competing for the Rangers' closer job and, if healthy, might be the favorite to win it.
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Rangers' Jose Leclerc: Throws bullpen Sunday
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Leclerc (neck) threw a bullpen session Sunday, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reports.
Leclerc appeared in two Cactus League games before succumbing to neck stiffness. Sunday's session was his first since being shut down the middle of last week.
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Rangers' Jose Leclerc: Pulls out of World Baseball Classic
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Manager Bruce Bochy said Thursday that Leclerc (neck) will no longer play for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic, Kennedi Landry of MLB.com reports.
Leclerc is dealing with some left neck tightness, so he and the Rangers have decided it's best he skip the WBC. It is not clear when Leclerc might be cleared to return to Cactus League play. He is the favorite to open the season as the Rangers' primary closer.
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Rangers' Jose Leclerc: Dealing with neck tightness
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Rangers general manager Chris Young said Wednesday that Leclerc is dealing with left neck discomfort, Kennedi Landry of MLB.com reports.
Leclerc is currently scheduled to take part in the World Baseball Classic for the Dominican Republic, but Young said that the Rangers staff is evaluating how the injury might affect the reliever's participation. Whether Leclerc sits out the WBC or not, fantasy managers will still want to keep an eye on updates pertaining to the right-handed hurler, who looks to be the top option for saves out of the Texas bullpen to open the 2023 season.
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Rangers' Jose Leclerc: Logs first spring inning
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Leclerc allowed one hit and walked one over a scoreless fourth inning in Monday's spring game against the Reds.
Leclerc's appearance in the fourth inning, following starter Martin Perez's three-inning stint, indicates he's the team's closer, or at least part of the mix to save games. At this stage of the Cactus League, closers appear earlier in games when an opponent's best hitters are still in the lineup. Brock Burke, another candidate for saves, worked a scoreless seventh inning.
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Rangers' Jose Leclerc: Part of closer mix
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Texas manager Bruce Bochy said the team's closer situation is "somewhat fluid" then mentioned Leclerc's name first, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reports. "He's got great stuff and he's got a good way about him, when it comes to makeup," Bochy said. "He's got the weapons to finish a game, I know that."
Leclerc has the most end-of-game experience among potential closers, which could also include Joe Barlow, Brock Burke and Jonathan Hernandez. Leclerc was effective over the final stages of 2022, converting seven of nine opportunities with a 1.38 ERA over 26 innings while holding hitters to a .482 OPS. He fanned 36 percent of the batters he faced from Aug. 1 forward. Consistent command remains the one big hurdle. Leclerc posted a 4.0 BB/9 last season, including 3.8 during that final effective stretch.
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Rangers' Jose Leclerc: Closer frontrunner
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Leclerc appears to be the frontrunner to open the season as closer for the Rangers, Levi Weaver of The Athletic reports.
As Weaver notes, Leclerc finished the 2022 season on a high note after returning from Tommy John surgery with a 2.83 ERA, 54:21 K:BB and seven saves. While he should be considered the favorite, Rangers general manager Chris Young mentioned several options as potential stoppers, including Jonathan Hernandez, Ian Kennedy and Joe Barlow. Leclerc will need to perform well in the Cactus League, but right now, he seems like the Texas reliever to target in fantasy for those searching for saves.
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Rangers' Jose Leclerc: Gets option picked up
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The Rangers exercised Leclerc's $6 million team option for 2023 on Wednesday.
Leclerc missed most of the first two and a half months of the 2022 campaign while he recovered from last year's Tommy John surgery, but he re-emerged as a serviceable late-inning arm for Texas once he returned from the injured list. Over his 47.2 innings with Texas, Leclerc tallied a 2.83 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 54:21 K:BB. He finished the season as the Rangers' preferred end-game option and raked in seven saves in the process, and while he tentatively sits atop the bullpen depth chart at this early stage of the offseason, expect Texas to add some competition at the back end of the bullpen rather than handing Leclerc the closing gig outright.
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Rangers' Jose Leclerc: Gets work in non-save situation
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Leclerc allowed one hit and struck out two over a scoreless ninth inning in Wednesday's 7-2 win over the Angels.
Leclerc, who hadn't pitched since last Friday, was probably going to pitch regardless of the situation. As it was, the Rangers were leading 4-2 in the eighth inning, and he was warming up for what could have been a save. However, the Rangers plated three runs in the bottom of the frame, making it a non-save opportunity for the closer. The rust did not have an effect on Leclerc, who found the zone on 11 of his 14 pitches.
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Rangers' Jose Leclerc: Picks up save
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Leclerc picked up the save in Friday's 4-3 win over the Rays, allowing a hit and a walk in a scoreless inning.
The save was Leclerc's sixth of the season. It took him 25 pitches, and it comes off the heels of a loss and blown save in his last appearance. He has two losses in his last five appearances, but he also has four saves in his last six outings. Leclerc seems to be the favorite to earn saves in Texas and seems to have a long leash as well.
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Rangers' Jose Leclerc: Blows save Wednesday
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Leclerc (0-3) took the loss and blew a save against the Athletics on Wednesday, allowing two runs (one earned) on two hits while striking out two batters in one inning.
Leclerc entered in the ninth inning with Texas up by a run. He retired two of the first three batters he faced before giving up the game-tying run on a double by Vimael Machin. An error then allowed the go-ahead run to score, and Leclerc ended up with the loss when the Rangers couldn't scratch out a score in the bottom of the frame. It was the first blown save of the season for the right-hander, but his closer job figures to be secure given his prolonged run of strong pitching. Since the All-Star break, Leclerc has posted a 2.17 ERA, 0.97 WHIP and 35:11 K:BB over 29 innings.
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Rangers' Jose Leclerc: Notches fifth save
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Leclerc struck out two in a perfect ninth inning to record his fifth save of the season during a 3-2 win over the Marlins in the first game of Monday's doubleheader.
The right-hander fired nine of 11 pitches for strikes as he converted his third save chance in his last four appearances. Leclerc seems to be the Rangers' preferred closing option right now, as Jonathan Hernandez entered the game in the seventh inning, and he's earned the role with a 1.93 ERA and 33:11 K:BB through 28 innings since the All-Star break.
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Rangers' Jose Leclerc: Earns fourth save
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Leclerc gave up one walk and struck out two in a scoreless appearance to earn the save in a 4-1 victory over the Blue Jays on Sunday.
Leclerc didn't have the most efficient outing as he needed 24 pitches to retire the side. However, he got the job done and ultimately only allowed one baserunner before striking out Vladimir Guerrero to close out the victory and pick up his fourth save of the season. All four of Leclerc's saves have come since Aug. 14 and he has only given up an earned run or more in two appearances over that stretch.
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Rangers' Jose Leclerc: Possible waiver wire pickups
Rotowire
There are leagues where more reliable alternatives to Leclerc remain available, but in leagues where you have to scrounge for every save, it's becoming increasingly apparent that he's the new favorite for them in Texas. He's responsible for each of the team's past two saves, the latest coming Sunday, and has finished off each of the last four games he's been a part of, the other two being one-run losses. Since returning from Tommy John surgery in mid-June, the 28-year-old has steadily regained the swing-and-miss that made him a late-inning reliever prior to it. The Rangers liked him enough to sign him to a long-term deal back then that includes reasonably priced options for 2023 and 2024, so they may be auditioning him for the closer role next year.
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Rangers' Jose Leclerc: Picks up save
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Leclerc picked up the save Friday against the Tigers, allowing two runs on two hits while striking out three and walking one over one inning.
Leclerc was called in to save the game in the ninth, but had a few scares after allowing a walk from Jeimer Candelario and a two-run home run from Riley Greene, putting the Tigers within one run of a tie. Brett Martin has not had a save since July 11 and Jonathan Hernandez's last one was Aug. 15. The Rangers lack stability in the closer role, but Leclerc is not doing himself any favors fighting for saves with outings like the one he had Friday.
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Rangers' Jose Leclerc: Picks up save
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Leclerc struck out one over a scoreless ninth inning to earn the save in Sunday's 5-3 win over the Mariners.
Rangers closer Jonathan Hernandez was seemingly unavailable after throwing two straight days and three of the last four, opening the door for Leclerc to pick up his first save since 2020. He's pitched well since returning from the break, posting a 1.88 ERA over 10 games (14.1 IP), which earned him a promotion to high-leverage work and put him in line for a spot save opportunity.
