SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Much has been made about the Rangers’ completely rebuilt bullpen this spring. Texas added veteran arms like Chris Martin and Luke Jackson, as well as other experienced relievers such as Shawn Armstrong, Jacob Webb and Hoby Milner.\n\nBut one of the most intriguing options for the Rangers’ bullpen is a potential homegrown closer in the making.\n\n
Church has a solid three-pitch mix of a four-seamer, slider and splitter, and he will only get better as he continues to maintain his command and control.\n\n“\\[Church\\] attacks the zone,” manager Bruce Bochy said. “A lot of young guys, they pitch away from contact or they're showing the nerves out there by not being able to throw strikes. He attacks the zone and is pitching with confidence. He thinks he belongs out there. He thinks they can get the hitter out, and he has the stuff to do it. Sometimes you gotta break that barrier. But that barrier was never there for him this spring.”
Bochy said Church was “in the mix” to break camp with Texas last spring when he first emerged as a legitimate bullpen option. But based on his experience at the time, the coaching staff thought it was best for him to go down to Triple-A Round Rock and get more innings.\n\nChurch ultimately missed much of the 2024 season due to a right lat strain, and he pitched just 25 2/3 innings in the Minors. But, he made his MLB debut with a scoreless inning against the Angels on Sept. 28.\n\nBut now?\n\n“Marc is in the mix,” Bochy said. “At his age, where he's at in his career ... we don't select the club at this point in the spring, but Church is a guy that has a little bit more experience, and so he’s right there in the mix.”
**Leiter’s Cactus League train rolls on**\n\n
The right-hander made his MLB debut last season, but he had some ups and downs, allowing 39 runs (35 earned) in 35 2/3 innings. Bochy said earlier in camp that Leiter came in “like a man on a mission,” and he’s continued to show it during Cactus League play.\n\n“I think he has that conviction that you need on every pitch,” Bochy said postgame on Thursday. “Not that there was doubt in there, but it can always creep in there with young players sometimes, especially when you're not having success. You don't see that with him now. He really believes in his stuff and his pitches now, and that's a big part of it.”
**Garcia’s neat Cactus League debut**\n\n