Cole Ragans has been the big league Strikeout leader during the first few weeks of the season. Kansas City Royal’s left -hander will look like to deliver another overwhelming performance at Detroit Tigers on Friday night.
Ragans has listed double -digit strikes in his last three starts and has taken up 34 in its four starts. Equally impressive is that he has allowed only one earned drive in each of his three April starts and has not issued a walk in his last two excursions.
Ragans (1-0, 2.28 era) lasted in 7 2/3 rounds on Sunday and allowed only four hits against Cleveland. Strikes from the first pitch was the key to his performance. He threw 18 against the 26 battles he met.
“If I am moving forward, I’m in the driver’s seat,” Ragans said. “It doesn’t matter who it is. It’s just the mentality of Strike One, Strike One, Strike One.”
The Strikeout Total is not a big surprise. He had 223 last season and ranked fifth in Majors, 186 1/3 rounds. He issued 67 walks – his focus came into this season to reduce that number.
“It was a big deal this season – simplify things and move on, cut down the walks,” Ragans said. “That’s all I try to do is get ahead. If I make a mistake here or there, I can get an unbalanced swing because I have come in front of the guy. So it just keeps coming in front of the guys and putting them on the defensive.”
He sees many defensive swings. Kevin Appier (1996) is the only other jug in Royal’s history that has three consecutive excursions with 10 or more strikes.
“When (Ragans is) on, he knows he can beat people in the zone,” Manager Matt Quatraro said. “And that’s what the best of the best does.”
Ragans is 2-1 with a 2.45 era in five career excursions against the tigers.
He will be opposed by Jackson Jobe (1-0, 3.00), who gathered his first major-league victory in his final start. Jobe threw six speechless innings at Minnesota on Saturday and limited the twins to two hits.
Jobe excited himself after he allowed a walk and a single to the first two beats.
“After the first round, I just told myself to be in the zone,” said the rookie right hand. “I came before some guys early and it led to three-ball bills. I just committed to throw strikes and not chase strikes.”
Jobes Arsenal-Four-seams, controls, swaps, lowering and curve ball-balled him to one of the main prospects in the game. He used all his seats to gather the victory.
“He threw everything, which is how he will look up,” said manager Aj Hinch. “Sometimes I think he may have too many places to play with, but he doesn’t. He needs everyone against different styles of hitters, and he has the ability to mix when he needs.”
The tigers won the first game in the series on Thursday, 6-1. Spencer Torkelson and Riley Greene ran in five of Detroit’s runs.
Royals lost his fourth straight. Kansas City has only received seven runs under that picture.
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