The Texas Rangers are going to be without de facto ace Derek Holland for at least two months — if things go well — just as they are without their projected ace, and one of the few true aces in the game, Yu Darvish for the entire season.
So after the dominoes fell and other options were ruled out because of their own injuries (Nick Tepesch and Lisalverto Bonilla), Anthony Ranaudo got the call to make his Rangers debut on Wednesday afternoon as the starter replacing Holland in the rotation.
Ranaudo was acquired this winter from Boston for Robbie Ross, and he was seen in the Red Sox organization as a tremendous prospect who never quite lived up to the hype and they were eventually ready to cut bait with.
The big righty struggled this spring, as he was given a chance to win the No. 5 starter job that Nick Martinez ended up winning. He made seven starts with Boston last year as a rookie and finished with a 4-3 record and a 4.81 ERA — not great, but not as bad as he was this spring with the Rangers. In Cactus League play this spring, Ranaudo tossed 14 1/3 innings and posted an ERA over 5.00 with just eight strikeouts and three walks.
Ranaudo said he learned a lot in his short stint with the Red Sox last season toward the end of the year.
“I didn’t have my best stuff at the end of the season and I faced a couple of playoff teams," the 6-7 right-hander said. “But I learned a lot."
The Rangers hope he puts all of that to use on Wednesday afternoon.
