“Obviously, it’s a surreal experience,” Leiter said. “It’s something you dream about since you were a little kid. Being around the game always, it’s a special day. I know I’m better and I need to be better and I will be better. And that’s kind of the frustration is some pitches that I left on the table and some mistakes that I made. ”
Leiter, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 draft, was brought up from Triple-A Round Rock, where he was 1-1 with 25 strikeouts and three walks in 14 innings over three appearances.
“He was all right,” Texas manager Bruce Bochy said. “He had a little trouble hitting his spots in the second inning, but he came right back in the third and got two quick outs in the fourth before he ran into trouble.”
Despite Leiter’s struggle, the Rangers pulled out the win in large part due to Leody Taveras, who scored the go-ahead run on a fielder’s choice in the eighth inning and added an RBI single.
Taveras doubled with one out in the eighth and went to third on Marcus Semien’s fielder’s choice, eluding a tag by Detroit third baseman and former Yankee Gio Urshela.
Seager then grounded to first and Taveras scored to break a 7-all tie.
“He made a great play,” Tigers manager A .J. Hinch said of Tavares’ play. “We made plenty of mistakes today, but that wasn’t one of them. It was a baseball athletic play that didn’t go our way.”
Jose Leclerc (1-1) got the win in relief for Texas, and Shelby Miller (3-2), the fifth of six Detroit pitchers, took the loss for the second day in a row.
Though it wasn’t a great debut for Leiter, he did have support from one member of the Yankees.
“I couldn’t be happier for him and his whole family, for everyone. I’m super-excited,” said Volpe, who won a New Jersey state championship with Leiter in their senior year at Delbarton. “I’m sure his phone was going crazy and all of our friends and family friends are super pumped.”
— with AP
For the latest in sports, top headlines, breaking news and more, visit nypost.com/sports/
Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments. It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency: our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. We strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation. Join us in shaping the news narrative together.
Comments / 0