Kumar Rocker secured his first MLB victory in dominant fashion Thursday night, powering the Texas Rangers to a 5-3 win over the Los Angeles Angels. The 25-year-old right-hander delivered a career-best performance, striking out eight across seven innings while allowing no walks and just three runs on five hits.
Drafted third overall by Texas in after a high-profile draft saga, Rocker’s journey to this milestone included Tommy John surgery in and a late-202 comeback. His precision command of a devastating slider anchored the Rangers’ series sweep, extending their home winning streak to nine games.
Offensive support came from Adolis García’s solo homer (his 15th against the Angels) and Corey Seager’s 100th Rangers home run. Leody Taveras added a two-run double, while reliever Robert Garcia notched his first MLB save.
The Angels, held to four total runs in the series, saw Mike Trout strike out in a critical fifth-inning moment with two runners on. Texas now holds an AL-best 9-1 home record, while Los Angeles dropped its fourth straight.
Rocker’s resurgence marks a pivotal moment for the Rangers’ rotation, which has battled injuries early this season. “It feels great,” Rocker said postgame. “I’m happy it happened”5.
