Rangers alter their pitching roster prior to the Athletics match.

Dane Dunning sent to minors by Rangers after major dip in his performance

Bruce Bochy and the Rangers have demoted Dane Dunning
The Texas Rangers have been one of the most disappointing teams in baseball a year after winning their first World Series title. Manager Bruce Bochy has seen many of his players fail to live up to expectations. That includes pitcher Dane Dunning, who had been quite effective for the Rangers last year.

That has not been the case this season as the Rangers have tried unsuccessfully to climb into playoff contention in the second half of the season. As a result, Dunning was demoted to the Rangers’ Triple-A minor league team at Red Rock.

Dunning has a 4-7 record this season with a 5.38 earned run average. Command and control have been issues for him, and so has velocity. He has given up 90 hits in 90.1 innings and he has also walked 39 batters while striking out 85.

Dunning has been involved in 24 games this season, including 14 as a starter and 10 more as a reliever.
A year ago, Dunning was one of the most effective pitchers on the Rangers staff. He had a 12-7 record with a 3.70 ERA. The pitcher appeared in 35 games last year, including 26 as a starter. He struck out 140 batters in 172.2 innings in the 2023 regular season.

Rangers bring up Chase Anderson to take Dunning’s spot
Texas Rangers pitcher Dane Dunning (33) throws a pitch against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the first inning at Globe Life Field.

Chase Anderson was signed by the Rangers to a minor league deal earlier this month. He will now get a chance to show the Rangers that he is capable of pitching effectively at the major league level.

Dunning had been up with the Rangers since the 2021 season. He was acquired that year in a deal with the Chicago White Sox.

He has had two separate stints on the injured list this season, and those injuries appear to have had an impact on the way he has pitched this season. Dunning has struggled with a right rotator cuff strain and right shoulder soreness, per Shawn McFarland of the Dallas Morning News.

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In a recent appearance against the Oakland A’s, Dunning’s pitch velocity was notably lower than it had been earlier in the year. Those pitches included his sinker, slider and change-up. The As’s rocked him for five earned runs and two home runs.

Since the Rangers decided to move Dunning to the bullpen, opponents have battered his pitches to the tune of a .361 batting average.

The Rangers will conclude a three-game series with the A’s at home Sunday before hosting the American League East leading New York Yankees for for three games. They will conclude a 10-game homestand with four games against the Los Angeles Angels.

The Rangers are 63-72 and in third place in the American League West, 10 games behind the division-leading Houston Astros.