Jon Gray didn’t waste any time making his presence felt Wednesday night.
Four months after a fractured forearm derailed his season before it even began, the veteran right-hander came out of the bullpen and threw two scoreless innings, helping the Texas Rangers edge the Oakland A’s 2-1 in the series finale.
Gray hadn’t pitched in a game since March 14, when he was struck by a 106.4 mph liner during a spring matchup with the Rockies. But when manager Bruce Bochy called on him in the sixth inning with two outs and runners on the corners, the 33-year-old looked ready-if a bit rusty.
“Helman saved me” – How a defensive gem changed the tone of Gray’s return
Before Gray even recorded an official out, rookie outfielder Michael Helman might’ve saved the night. Tyler Soderstrom sent a deep fly to center that looked destined to tie the game-or worse-until Helman sprinted back and made a backhand catch just shy of the wall. “He’s really the hero,”Gray said afterward. “That play gave me time to breathe.“
From there, it was smooth sailing. Gray retired six straight before giving up a harmless two-out single to Brent Rooker. That would be his last batter. Just like that, he had his first win of the season-and a key moment in what could be a crucial second-half run for Texas.
Bochy admitted he didn’t plan to drop Gray into such a tense moment but had no regrets. “Sometimes, you’ve just got to trust your guy,”Bochy told MLB.com. “And Jon’s one of our guys.”
Gray, who’s in the final year of his four-year, $56 million deal, is aiming for a stronger finish after injuries cut short his 2024 campaign. Last season, he went 5-6 with a 4.47 ERA and was sidelined multiple times with groin and foot issues.
To make room for Gray, the Rangers designated reliever Luke Jackson for assignment. Jackson had nine saves this season but had struggled since late April. Texas now returns home with renewed momentum-and with Jon Gray back in the fold, the bullpen just got a little more dangerous.
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