Johnson Strikes Out 8 and Kim Homers in ACL Rangers' 9-8 Opening Day Loss
ACL Rangers kicked off their season in AZ against the ACL Dodgers. Despite a 9-8 loss, Texas prospects shined.
The rookie league season is officially underway, with the ACL Rangers kicking off their season in Arizona against the ACL Dodgers last night. The Rangers ultimately dropped a heartbreaker by a final score of 9-8.
The Rangers got the scoring started early, jumping out to a lead in the top of the 2nd inning on a 2-run triple by Elorky Rodriguez. By the top of the 3rd, the Texas bats had built a 4-0 lead.
On the mound, you simply could not have scripted a better start for RHP Jacob Johnson. The Rangers' 11th-round pick from the 2025 draft was utterly dominant in his three innings of work, allowing just one run in the bottom of the 3rd. He recorded exactly 9 outs, and an incredible 8 of them were strikeouts.
The turning point of the game came in the bottom of the 5th inning, when the Dodgers exploded for 8 runs against the Texas bullpen. RHP Case Matter (10th round pick, 2023) pitched one inning in relief, allowing 3 runs on two hits and one walk, striking out two but throwing two wild pitches. RHP Anthony Astudillo pitched two innings, surrendering 5 runs on 5 hits and one walk, while striking out four and throwing one wild pitch.
Both of the Rangers' two-way players were in the starting lineup. Seong-Jun Kim led off as the designated hitter and blasted his first professional home run, finishing the day 1-for-5 with the HR and 2 RBIs. Josh Owens started at shortstop and also tallied a hit, finishing 1-for-5.
Josh Owens and Seong-Jun Kim are expected to pitch once a week.
The rest of the lineup: Jay McQueen, the Rangers' 20th-round pick in 2025, reached base perfectly in all four of his plate appearances, going 1-for-1 with 3 walks, 2 runs scored, and a stolen base.
Marco Argudin, who tore up the DSL last season with an absurd .397/.497/.587/1.084 slash line, carried that momentum right into the ACL by going 1-for-3 with a walk and 2 runs scored.
Elorky Rodriguez (hitting .333) went 1-for-3 with his early 2-run triple and 2 walks.
Rashawn Pinder wreaked havoc on the bases and drove in runs, going 1-for-4 with 2 RBIs, a run scored, and 2 stolen bases.
Daniel Rodriguez made the most of his opportunities, going 1-for-2 with an RBI, a walk, and 2 runs scored.
Curley Martha and Noah Franklin were the only two players in the starting nine to go without a hit. Though the 9-8 loss stings, the sheer volume of production from the 2025 draft class and the continuing dominance of returning prospects make this a season opener to remember. The future in Arlington is looking incredibly bright. Be sure to tune in for the next game as these young stars look to bounce back into the win column!
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