{"id":100891,"date":"2025-05-25T10:34:37","date_gmt":"2025-05-25T14:34:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/?p=100891"},"modified":"2025-05-25T10:34:37","modified_gmt":"2025-05-25T14:34:37","slug":"report-rangers-may-use-kumar-rocker-closer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2025\/05\/25\/report-rangers-may-use-kumar-rocker-closer\/","title":{"rendered":"Report: Rangers May Use Kumar Rocker as a Closer"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Texas Rangers are fighting to keep pace with an aging roster and a shrinking window for contention. While most of the Rangers woes come on the offensive side of the game, their bullpen hasn’t held much water this season either. That could lead the Rangers to try something a little different. According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today<\/a>, the Rangers like the idea of using right-hander Kumar Rocker in the closer role when he comes off the injured list.<\/p>\n

Closer Kumar Rocker?<\/h2>\n

Rocker, 25, was once a highly touted pitching prospect. Much ado was made when he spurned the New York Mets in the 2021 MLB Draft<\/a>. Since then, injuries have slowed his development, but the Rangers have something that might work for all parties involved.<\/p>\n

Nightengale wrote that the Rangers are ‘seriously considering’ using the right-hander out of the bullpen, specifically as the team’s closer. He cited that the team believes his fastball-slider combo could be a huge weapon out of the bullpen. Rocker is currently working his way back from a shoulder impingement.<\/p>\n

\n

Kumar Rocker, back on the mound again \ud83c\udfb8<\/p>\n

The @Rangers<\/a>‘ No. 2 prospect spins three scoreless frames and strikes out three in a rehab outing for Double-A @RidersBaseball<\/a>: pic.twitter.com\/wmldSQjVgH<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) May 24, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n