Jack Leiter, the highly-touted pitching prospect and son of former major league player Al Leiter, made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut for the Texas Rangers against the Detroit Tigers on April 18, 2024. The much-anticipated outing did not go as planned for Leiter as he struggled to find his footing in the big leagues.
Leiter began his MLB career with a bang, striking out Riley Greene in just three pitches to record his first major league strikeout. However, the excitement was short-lived as Leiter faced difficulties in locating his pitches and found himself allowing runs in each of the first two innings.
In the second frame, Detroit's Kerry Carpenter and Spencer Torkelson both drove in runs to tie the game at 4-4. Leiter managed to retire the side with a strikeout but was unable to contain the Tigers' offense.
The Rangers took a brief lead in the top of the third when Adolis Garcia hit a solo home run, but Detroit responded with another rally in their half of the inning. Carpenter and Torkelson once again came up clutch for Detroit, driving in runs to tie the game at 5-5.
Leiter's struggles continued into the fourth inning as he allowed three more runs before being pulled from the game. The Rangers ultimately held on to win with a 13-hit performance, including homers from Jonah Heim, Marcus Semien, and Adolis Garcia.
Despite his rough debut, Leiter remained optimistic about his future in the majors. “It's something you dream about since you were a little kid,” he said. “Being around the game always, it's a special day from start to finish.”
Leiter finished his outing with 85 pitches, allowing seven runs on eight hits with three walks and three strikeouts. The Rangers will look for him to bounce back in his next start as they continue their season.
