That’s three quality starts in a row for Jordan Lyles.

After putting up the seventh-worst season in Rangers history for a starting pitcher last season, Lyles was turning 2021 into another disaster. Six starts into this year, his ERA of 7.39 was even higher than last season. 

It has hovered in the upper 5s for the most part since then. Even though he pitched slightly better, it wasn’t good enough to keep his rotation spot. But nothing is ever permanent in a Rangers rotation, and he worked his way back into it with six strong innings of relief. 

Since then, he’s pitched 25 innings, striking out 16, walking just four, with an ERA of 2.52.

He is suddenly looking like the Jordan Lyles of 2019. After stinking it up in Pittsburgh the first half of 2019 with an ERA of 5.36 after 17 starts, the Pirates dumped him off to the Brewers. Something clicked. In his 11 starts with Milwaukee, he went 7-1 with a brilliant 2.45 ERA. 

That brought Jon Daniels calling. And Jordan Lyles immediately reverted back to what he had been his entire career. An unreliable fifth starter with a career 5.12 ERA. Only worse. Last year, he put up a 7.02 ERA.

Last year wasn’t even his worst season as a stater. In 2017, he had a combined ERA of 7.75 with Colorado and San Diego.

But, as 2019 proved, he is capable of putting together a string of good starts. 

Let’s hope this is the beginning of one of those strings. It’s a lot more pleasant than watching his season unravel. 

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TODAY’S GAME: