Latz Shines in deGrom's Absence, Rangers Win

0:00On March 28, Texas Ranger star Jacob DeGramm showed up with next stiffness on Saturday in Philadelphia. So the team scratched him out of caution and pushed back his start. Enter Jacob Blatz, who stepped up on zero notice and delivered four no-hit innings. One walk, the re-strike out on 68 pitches with 42. Strikes, the Rangers rode that to a 5-4 win and 10 innings over the Phillies. Last had just lost the fifth rotation spot to Kumar Rocker in spring training, where his last outing was shaky. But his real strength is versatility. He swings between starting and relieving without missing a beat, which is exactly what Texas needed right then. Fans and analysts lit up after that gym, calling it a perfect reminder of why the Rangers kept lats around, even after the competition. It eased the blow of DeGramm's absence and showed the depth in their pitching staff early in the season. This wasn't Lats' first rodeo. It echoed his spot start last June 8 against the Nationals, where he went three and one-third innings allowing.

1:03Just two hits and two runs. The big difference? No prep time to go around, but spring training stretched him out to 88 pitches multiple times last year. That roster move with Rocker paid off big, keeping a multi-tool arm ready to go. And it highlights Lats as a key piece, whether he's opening games or locking down the pen for Texas all season. MLB News today, powered by AI bringing you what matters on the diamond. I'm Cory with the story.