These arms could decide Rangers’ fate in World Series

ARLINGTON — Rangers manager Bruce Bochy whittled his bullpen down to three trusted relievers this postseason — Aroldis Chapman, Josh Sborz and José Leclerc — to navigate high-leverage situations and make the World Series.

Now, it appears that number is down to two.

Bochy expressed his confidence in Chapman before Game 2 of the Fall Classic, calling him “one of our guys … one of our high-leverage guys.”

But when a high-leverage situation came up Saturday night, with the D-backs threatening to tack on to a slim two-run lead in the seventh inning, Bochy turned to potential Game 4 starter Andrew Heaney instead of Chapman when the skipper needed a left-hander in a key spot.

Heaney allowed an RBI single. The Rangers fell, 9-1, to the D-backs at Globe Life Field to even up the series in large part due to a lackluster offense and strong Merrill Kelly start.

But their stable of relievers couldn’t keep the game within striking distance for the lineup after starter Jordan Montgomery exited in the seventh.

Four relievers — Heaney, Dane Dunning, Chris Stratton and Martín Pérez — combined to allow five runs (and one inherited runner to score). It was a stark contrast from Game 1, when five relievers put together 6 1/3 scoreless innings with just two hits allowed to set the stage for a comeback. Chapman didn’t pitch in either game, despite Bochy turning to left-handers to face the combination of Ketel Marte and Corbin Carroll multiple times.

Now, with the tally at Texas 1, Arizona 1 in the battle of the bullpens, the club will need someone other than Sborz or Leclerc to come up clutch on the road, especially given that each of its potential Game 4 starters (Heaney, Dunning, Cody Bradford or Jon Gray) threw in the first two games of the series.

“You can’t just have one or two guys,” Bochy said. “You need that third and fourth guy to help you out in those situations.”

Here are the arms who could make or break the Rangers’ three-game trip to Phoenix, which begins with Max Scherzer on the mound for Game 3:

Aroldis ChapmanIt’s no secret that Bochy wants a lefty to face the D-backs when No. 9 hitter Geraldo Perdomo, followed by the duo of Ketel Marte and Corbin Carroll atop the lineup, are up to bat. He has gone to a left-hander out of the ‘pen four separate times in the first two games when those batters are due up.

Chapman hasn’t been his choice in any of the four, despite warming in both games. The southpaw with 100-plus mph heat has only allowed one run in seven postseason appearances (6 1/3 innings), but he has struggled with his command and been bailed out by Leclerc several times, as evidenced by his 1.42 WHIP — which matches his ERA exactly.

“He could go multiple innings. He’s already said that. He knows what time of year it is,” Bochy said. “I brought him in some other games this postseason, and he’ll continue to go out there to help us out.”

Jon GrayGray only had one relief appearance in his nine-year career (a one-out outing vs. the Padres on June 16, 2019) before he returned from lower right forearm tightness in the American League Championship Series and threw an inning of relief against the Astros in Game 3.

The starter isn’t fully stretched out, Bochy said before the series, but his stuff and velocity were back to his regular-season standard in his relief stint on Friday, when he tossed 1 2/3 innings with four strikeouts. He will likely play a similar role in Game 4, whether he starts or comes on for bulk relief.

Andrew HeaneyWhen the Rangers needed a fourth starter in the AL Division Series and ALCS, they went with Heaney, followed by Dunning in a bulk relief outing. They are two of five pitchers in the postseason ‘pen who spent most of the season as starters.

“Each one of them has been preparing as if they’re going to pitch any day,” Leclerc said pregame.

In his Game 4 ALCS start against the Astros, Heaney struggled, allowing three runs and failing to get out of the first inning. His Game 2 appearance could mean that another one of the many starters-turned-relievers could take the ball to start Game 4, but Heaney (6.00 ERA in four postseason appearances) will still need to improve on his playoff performance, whether it’s coming from the first pitch or in relief.

The 25-year-old delivered a scoreless inning on Friday, retiring the aforementioned trio of Perdomo, Carroll and Marte, and if Scherzer struggles again in Game 3 or the Game 4 plan goes awry, Bradford could be the pitcher Bochy calls on to deliver length again.