Rangers' Leiter Struggles Early Against Dodgers: Balancing Act for Pitching Staff

Manager Skip Schumaker navigates pitching staff development and bullpen workload in early-season road trip

Apr. 13, 2026 at 5:13am

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A cubist-style painting depicting a baseball game broken down into overlapping geometric shapes and planes, capturing the dynamic motion and energy of the sport in an abstract, fragmented style.The Rangers' early-season pitching challenges expose the delicate balance between developing young arms and preserving the bullpen's workload.Los Angeles Today

The Texas Rangers' recent series against the Los Angeles Dodgers highlighted the team's challenge in balancing the development of their starting pitchers and managing the workload of their bullpen. Starting pitcher Jordan Leiter struggled early, allowing three runs in the first inning, before settling down but being pulled after 3 2/3 innings due to a high pitch count. Manager Skip Schumaker's decision to pull Leiter was influenced by the need to preserve the bullpen for the team's upcoming busy stretch of games.

Why it matters

The Rangers' early-season struggles underscore the delicate balance managers must strike between allowing young pitchers to develop and maintaining the health and effectiveness of the bullpen. Leiter's performance against the Dodgers serves as a reminder of the challenges teams face in building up starting pitchers' endurance while also preserving the bullpen's workload, which can have a significant impact on a team's performance throughout the season.

The details

Leiter struggled in the first inning, surrendering two home runs, a single, and a walk, allowing the Rangers to fall behind by three runs. Despite settling down somewhat, his pitch count had already reached 93 by the time he was pulled after 3 2/3 innings. Leiter attributed his performance to a lack of control and the movement of his pitches not being as sharp as he had practiced during Spring Training. The changeup, in particular, was a concern, as Leiter averaged only 89.4 mph on the pitch, well below his season average. This lack of movement led to a poor swing-and-miss rate on his changeups, further exacerbating his command issues.

  • Leiter recorded his 200th career strikeout, becoming the third pitcher in franchise history to reach this milestone within 41 career games.

The players

Jordan Leiter

The Texas Rangers' starting pitcher who struggled early against the Dodgers, allowing three runs in the first inning before being pulled after 3 2/3 innings due to a high pitch count.

Skip Schumaker

The Texas Rangers' manager who had to navigate the delicate balance between developing his starting pitchers and managing the workload of the bullpen during the team's early-season road trip.

Tyler Alexander

The Rangers' relief pitcher who provided a glimmer of hope, pitching 2 1/3 innings of solid relief and keeping the Rangers in the game after Leiter's early exit.

Brandon Nimmo

The Texas Rangers' right fielder who continued his impressive start to the season, recording three of the team's four hits, including two home runs and a double, driving in all three runs.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident

What’s next

The Rangers' upcoming 10-game, 10-day stretch will be crucial for the team's pitching staff management, as Schumaker looks to balance the development of young pitchers like Leiter with the need to preserve the bullpen's workload.

The takeaway

The Rangers' early-season challenges highlight the importance of carefully managing a pitching staff, particularly when it comes to balancing the development of young starters and the workload of the bullpen. As the team navigates this difficult stretch, the performance of veterans like Nimmo and the continued growth of pitchers like Alexander will be crucial in the Rangers' pursuit of success in the American League West.