ARLINGTON, Texas Veteran reliever Chris Martin isn’t searching for complicated answers to his early-season struggles. In fact, the Texas Rangers right-hander believes the root of his late-inning issues is simple and fixable.
“Locate. I need to locate better,” Martin said after Friday’s 5-3 loss to the Cincinnati Reds. “That’s really the only thing I’m not doing right now. Too many pitches are ending up over the middle.”
That lack of precision proved costly again. In his fourth outing of the season, Martin entered a tied game in the ninth inning but quickly ran into trouble. He allowed a leadoff double to Spencer Steer before surrendering a go-ahead home run to Tyler Stephenson another late-game stumble in what has been a shaky opening stretch.
A Role Under Pressure
Martin, 39, opened the season expected to share closing duties with Robert Garcia. Instead, he’s found himself fighting to regain command and consistency. It’s now the second time in a week he has either blown a lead or lost a tie game in the ninth inning a troubling trend for a bullpen still trying to define roles.
Manager Skip Schumaker isn’t ready to panic, though. He pointed out that Martin’s velocity sitting between 95–96 mph was actually the best it’s been all season.
“These are the guys we believe in,” Schumaker said. “We’re going to keep running them out there. Experience matters, especially because they’ve done it before.”
Experience vs. Results
While Martin has enjoyed a long MLB career, closing games has never been his primary calling card. He has just 16 career saves in 36 opportunities, and last season he converted only two of five chances across 49 appearances. Injuries, including a recurring calf issue, also disrupted his rhythm.
Despite that, the Rangers brought him back on a one-year deal and leaned on him heavily early — appearing in four of the team’s first seven games.
So far, the results haven’t followed. Martin owns a 1-1 record with a 13.50 ERA in just 2.2 innings pitched. Some of the damage hasn’t been entirely his fault including a blown save in Philadelphia where a dropped foul ball by Jake Burger extended an inning that led to a tying run. But even accounting for bad luck, the contact against him has been loud.
“My last four outings haven’t been great,” Martin admitted. “There’s been a lot of hard contact. Even when I get weak contact, it seems to find a hole. It’s just something I’ve got to battle through.”
The Fine Margins of Relief Pitching
Friday’s outing highlighted just how thin the margin for error can be. A poorly located splitter with two strikes to Steer was driven for a double. Moments later, a sinker intended to be up and inside drifted into a hittable zone — and Stephenson didn’t miss it.
For Martin, it all circles back to command. His velocity and pitch movement remain intact, but without precise location, even quality stuff becomes vulnerable especially in high-leverage situations.
What Comes Next?
The bigger question now is how long the Rangers can afford to stay patient. Last season’s bullpen inconsistency looms large the team converted just 28 of 55 save opportunities, one of the lowest success rates in the league. Nine different relievers recorded saves, reflecting ongoing instability at the back end.
That uncertainty carried into this season, and Martin’s early struggles only add to the concern.
There is precedent for change. Last year, Luke Jackson emerged from a non-roster role to briefly claim the closer’s job, though his hold on it lasted only about a month.
For now, the Rangers appear committed to giving Martin time to work through his issues. But in a division race where every late-inning opportunity matters, patience can wear thin quickly.
If Martin can rediscover his command, he still has the tools to stabilize the bullpen. If not, the Rangers may once again find themselves searching for answers in the ninth inning.
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