Texas Rangers right-hander Kumar Rocker (2-4) picked up his second win of the season in a 2-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Sunday. Rocker allowed four hits over five scoreless innings and posted six strikeouts against one walk. It was one of Rocker's best performances during what has been a difficult season in the majors for the 25-year-old. After struggling to an 8.10 ERA in his first five starts, the Rangers placed Rocker on the 15-day injured list with a shoulder impingement on April 24. He then returned June 4 to give up five earned runs in 3 1/3 innings in a loss to the Tampa Bay Rays. The Rangers optioned Rocker back to the minors, but a spot opened up for him when righty Tyler Mahle went on the 15-day IL with shoulder fatigue. Rocker took advantage of the opportunity on Sunday. He improved his ERA to 7.31 (3.71 xFIP) with 27 strikeouts and eight walks over 28 1/3 frames. If Rocker gets another turn in the Rangers' rotation, it could come against a subpar Pittsburgh Pirates offense over the weekend.

Texas Rangers starting pitcher Kumar Rocker will start on Sunday against the Chicago White Sox. Rocker will be recalled from Triple-A to make the start in place of Tyler Mahle (shoulder), who is likely headed to the IL. Rocker has been electric in the minors, pitching to a 0.82 ERA and 0.55 WHIP, albeit over just 11 IP. The big leagues have been another story for the 25-year-old, as he owns a horrendous 8.87 ERA and 1.84 WHIP over 23 IP. He will get a very good matchup against a bad White Sox lineup, but it is still a very precarious situation. It is best to avoid streaming Rocker in fantasy leagues, at least until he can show us something at the major league level.

Texas Rangers starting pitcher Kumar Rocker has been optioned to Triple-A Round Rock on Thursday. Well this is unfortunate news, Rocker was activated off the injured list on Wednesday. He took the mound against the Tampa Bay Rays, but it didn't exactly go well for Rocker. The right-hander was hit around for five earned runs on six hits over 3 innings of work. The move to option Rocker isn't shocking given he holds a 8.87 ERA, and 1.84 WHIP across six starts this season. In a corresponding move, right-handed reliever Chris Martin (shoulder) has been activated off the injured list and will take over the spot on the roster. Martin figures to be in the mix for saves in Texas.

The Texas Rangers activated right-handed pitching prospect Kumar Rocker (shoulder) from the 15-day injured list, and he is making the start on the road at George M. Steinbrenner Field against the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday. Rocker is the team's No. 2 prospect, but there are several reasons why fantasy manager will want to avoid him in his first game back in the big leagues against Tampa. First, the 25-year-old Vanderbilt product only threw 53 pitches in his final minor-league rehab start, so he's unlikely to go deep in Wednesday's start. It's not like Rocker was looking great before his stint on the IL, going 1-3 with an 8.10 ERA and 1.75 WHIP with 16 K's and five walks in 20 innings over his first five starts. Rocker will be facing a Rays team that currently boasts a .700 OPS, which ranks 17th in baseball. Don't expect another repeat of Rocker's outing against Tampa on April 6 when he allowed a run in five innings.

Texas Rangers right-handed pitching prospect Kumar Rocker (shoulder) is expected to return from the 15-day injured list on Wednesday. He will take Nathan Eovaldi's spot in the rotation as he was placed on the 15-day IL earlier on Sunday with a triceps injury. Rocker has been sidelined with a right shoulder impingement since April 24. During his first 20 innings of the campaign, Rocker struggled as he held a high 8.10 ERA with a 1.75 WHIP. During this stretch, he struck out 16 batters and allowed five walks. However, the right-hander has found success in his rehab outings and could be worth a look in deeper formats. During his lone outing at Triple-A, Rocker tossed four no-hit innings with one walk and five punchouts. With Rocker slated to pitch on Wednesday, Tyler Mahle will line up to make his next start on Tuesday.

Texas Rangers right-handed pitching prospect Kumar Rocker (shoulder) tossed four shutout innings in his rehab outing with Triple-A on Thursday against Reno. In this outing, Rocker did not allow a hit and served up just one walk. He struck out five batters. This was Rocker's second rehab outing. His first start was with Double-A Frisco, where he tossed three shutout frames. Rocker has been on the 15-day injured list since April 24 with a right shoulder impingement. The No. 39-ranked prospect in the sport was able to break camp with the major league roster but struggled. Across 20 innings of work, the right-hander posted an 8.10 ERA with a 1.75 WHIP. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his progression. If he is able to increase his workload, he should be in the mix to re-join the rotation later in June.

Texas Rangers general manager Chris Young and manager Bruce Bochy have both denied a report that the team is considering using right-hander Kumar Rocker (shoulder) as their closer. Rocker is currently on the 15-day injured list with a right-shoulder impingement and hasn't pitched in the big leagues since April 24. The 25-year-old's fastball-slider combination could play up in a relief role once he's healthy, but contrary to a report from USA TODAY's Bob Nightengale, the Rangers aren't currently considering using Rocker in a high-leverage relief role when he returns from his shoulder injury. The team's No. 2 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, struggled to an 8.10 ERA and 1.75 WHIP with 16 strikeouts and five walks in his first five starts this year before getting injured. He's expected to need at least two more minor-league rehab starts before returning to the majors.

Texas Rangers right-handed pitching prospect Kumar Rocker (shoulder) is scheduled to start his minor-league rehab assignment with Double-A Frisco on Friday, according to The Dallas Morning News' Evan Grant. Rocker is nearing a return to the big-league level after he was placed on the 15-day injured list in late April with a right-shoulder impingement. The 25-year-old was able to throw a successful live batting practice session earlier this week. Rocker is expected to need at least several appearances on his rehab assignment, and it's possible they speed up his return to the big leagues by moving him into a relief role. That would obviously be bad news for fantasy managers hoping for him to return some value in single-year formats in 2025. The former third overall pick in 2022 had a rough 8.10 ERA, 1.75 WHIP and 16:5 K:BB in five starts in Texas before getting hurt.

Texas Rangers right-handed pitching prospect Kumar Rocker (shoulder) could start a minor-league rehab assignment later this week if he bounces back well from the two-inning live batting practice session he had on Sunday, according to The Dallas Morning News' Shawn McFarland. Manager Bruce Bochy said that Rocker looked "good" on Sunday, but the 25-year-old will have a lengthy rehab assignment because of the fact that he was shut down for three weeks while recovering from a right-shoulder impingement. Rocker is a must-stash in dynasty/keeper leagues, but there's a chance that he won't be placed right back into a starting role at the big-league level when he completes his rehab assignment. The former third overall pick had a rough 8.10 ERA and 1.75 WHIP with five walks and 16 strikeouts in 20 innings over his first five starts of the year with Texas before getting hurt.

Texas Rangers starting pitcher Kumar Rocker (shoulder) is expected to throw a bullpen session next week. The 25-year-old hit the 15-day injured list due to a right shoulder impingement. However, it appears the top prospect is already progressing well during the first stages of his recovery plan. Through his first 20 innings of work this season, Rocker has posted an 8.10 ERA with a 1.75 WHIP. During this stint, he has struck out 16 batters and served up five walks. He has allowed five or more runs in two of his starts this season. Under the hood, the No. 42-ranked prospect in the sport has placed in the 11th percentile in xERA and the fifth percentile in xBA. While he remains sidelined, fantasy managers should expect Patrick Corbin to continue to see opportunities in the rotation.

Texas Rangers starting pitcher Kumar Rocker (shoulder) has been placed on the 15-day injured list on Thursday. This comes a day after Rocker gave up five runs over 1 2/3 innings of work during Wednesday's game against the Athletics. Rangers' manager Bruce Bochy said Rocker is dealing with a mild right shoulder impingement. The young right-hander has only made it through the fifth inning once so far this season. He has a ton of potential, but a little time off might be good for him. Jack Leiter (hand) is expected to rejoin the rotation soon, so he'll likely take over the void in the rotation.

Texas Rangers starting pitcher Kumar Rocker picked up his first win of the season on Thursday, allowing three runs on five hits over seven innings against the Angels. He struck out eight and walked none, which is encouraging to see after he started the season with a 6:4 K:BB through three starts. His ERA still sits at 6.38 thanks to his rocky start to the year, but he'll look to further improve that in his next time out which is set to be against the Athletics. The former top prospect still has too much upside to ignore for fantasy.

Texas Rangers starting pitching prospect Kumar Rocker allowed seven hits and six earned runs during his season debut on Monday evening against the Cincinnati Reds. Rocker was able to log just three innings of work. He tallied three punchouts but served up two walks. Rocker ran into trouble early as he allowed a leadoff single to TJ Friedl and then a two-run shot by the next batter, Matt McLain. In the second frame, he would allow another long ball, this time to shortstop Elly De La Cruz, which also scored Jose Trevino and McLain. Rocker was able to make the rotation given the injuries to Jon Gray (wrist) and Cody Bradford (elbow). Fantasy managers should monitor his second start as he could be in danger of moving to the bullpen or Triple-A if he has another rough outing. He received a brief look at the majors last season and held a 3.86 ERA with a 1.54 WHIP across 11 2/3 innings. He is projected to face the Tampa Bay Rays in his next start.

Texas Rangers starting pitching prospect Kumar Rocker has earned a role in the starting rotation. Rocker was competing for a spot during camp. During spring training, the Vanderbilt product tossed nine innings and held a 13.00 ERA with a 2.33 WHIP. However, over his final start, Rocker turned the corner as he tallied eight punchouts across four 2/3 innings of two-run ball. Fellow top prospect Jack Leiter also earned a spot in the rotation with Cody Bradford (elbow) and Jon Gray (wrist) sidelined. Rocker made his brief MLB debut last summer and held a 3.86 ERA with a 1.54 WHIP across 11 2/3 innings. In the minor leagues, Rocker posted a strong 1.96 ERA and a stellar 0.79 WHIP across 36 2/3 cumulative innings across Double and Triple-A. Given his prospect pedigree and success in the upper levels of the minor leagues, Rocker is worth adding in all 12-team formats as a high-upside starting pitcher.

Texas Rangers pitching prospect Kumar Rocker tossed 4 2/3 innings on Thursday, allowing two earned runs on three hits and two walks while striking out eight in the 7-4 Cactus League loss to the Rockies. It was a step in the right direction after the 6-foot-5 hurler had given up 11 earned runs in 4 2/3 innings pitched while striking out just four batters over his first three starts. The former first-rounder threw 47 of 76 pitches for strikes and also recorded 12 whiffs and averaged 97.2 mph on his four-seamer. The final rotation spot is a competition between Rocker and Jack Leiter. While Thursday's start helps Rocker's case, Leiter likely has the inside track with a better performance this spring andmore MLB experience. Both are worthy of a roster spot in deeper fantasy leagues when they are in the rotation, but that might be later this year for one of them.

Texas Rangers right-handed pitching prospects Jack Leiter and Kumar Rocker, who were teammates at Vanderbilt, are both competing for the open spot in the starting rotation now that it's confirmed that left-hander Cody Bradford (elbow) will open the year on the injured list. If we had to bet, Leiter would be the favorite -- not only because he's looked better this spring, but because he has more big-league experience. The 24-year-old has shown increased velocity in camp and has allowed only three runs on seven hits while walking six and striking out 13 in four games (one start) covering 10 2/3 innings. Although he had an ERA over 8.00 and a 1.71 WHIP, Leiter pitched in nine games (six starts) in the big leagues in 2024. Rocker, meanwhile, made three starts last year but has allowed eight earned runs while walking two and striking out only two in just two Cactus League innings in his two starts.

Texas Rangers starting pitching prospect Kumar Rocker tossed three shutout innings during an intrasquad contest. Rocker has gotten off to a rough start during spring training, allowing eight hits and eight earned runs across two innings. He has served up two free passes and only tallied two punchouts. Earlier in the week, Rocker also went to the Rangers pitching lab to find his footing. Rocker is competing for a spot at the back of the starting rotation. However, given his disappointing start to spring training, Rocker may be sent to Triple-A to begin the campaign. The Vanderbilt product has battled numerous injuries throughout his young career, which has limited his playing time. Last season, he received a brief taste of the majors and held a 3.36 ERA with a 1.54 WHIP across 11 2/3 innings. If Rocker were to open the season in the minor leagues, Cody Bradford would likely claim the No. 5 spot.

Texas Rangers starting pitching prospect Kumar Rocker struggled in his second outing of spring training. He was given the starting nod but was only able to log an inning of work as he served up four earned runs to the Milwaukee Brewers. In his first outing, he also allowed four runs. The 25-year-old entered camp as a favorite to land a spot in the starting rotation, but if he continues to stumble, the team may opt to have him open the campaign at Triple-A to further his development. He was given a brief look at the majors last summer and held a 3.86 ERA with a 1.54 WHIP across 11 2/3 innings. Across 36 2/3 innings in the minor leagues last season, the right-hander posted a strong 1.96 ERA with a 0.79 WHIP. He held an elite 5:55 BB:K ratio. If Rocker were to open the season at Triple-A, Dane Dunning could be given a starting role.

Texas Rangers starting pitching prospect Kumar Rocker struggled in his spring debut on Tuesday against the Kansas City Royals. Rocker tossed one inning of work but allowed a hefty four runs and four hits. He only tallied one punchout. He allowed two doubles, one to Vinnie Pasquantino and the other to Nick Pratto, which brought in all four runs. Rocker is expected to compete for a spot in the Opening Day rotation. However, given this debut, he may have to open the season in the minor leagues. Rocker has battled numerous injuries throughout his young career. Last summer, he logged a career-high 36 2/3 innings in the minor leagues. Across three levels, he held a strong 1.96 ERA with a 0.79 WHIP. This earned him a late-season MLB debut, where he logged 11 2/3 innings to the tune of a 3.86 ERA and a 1.54 WHIP. Cody Bradford or Dane Dunning could take his spot in the rotation if he continues to struggle.

MLB.com's Kennedi Landry projects both Texas Rangers rookie right-handers Kumar Rocker and Jack Leiter will be on the outside looking in for starting rotation spots on Opening Day in 2025. As things currently stand with everyone healthy, the Rangers' rotation projects to be headlined by Jacob deGrom, followed by Nathan Eovaldi, Jon Gray, Cody Bradford and Tyler Mahle. Both Rocker and Leiter, who were also teammates at Vanderbilt in college, project to open the season at Triple-A Round Rock to provide rotation depth. Rocker, 25, returned from Tommy John surgery in 2024 to make his first three big-league starts, going 0-2 with a 3.86 ERA and 1.54 WHIP in 11 2/3 frames. Leiter, 24, made nine appearances (six starts) for the Rangers and was extremely inconsistent with an 8.83 ERA and 1.71 WHIP in 35 2/3 innings pitched.