He went up against Seattle for the third time Saturday and gave up four runs in the first inning. The Texas Rangers eventually lost 7-0, as they could muster neither offense nor defense. It was only the second time in 89 games this season that the Rangers have failed to score at all.
Darvish’s record against Seattle is appalling. In those three games, he has pitched 16 innings, given up 16 earned runs, walked 14 batters and struck out 14. His earned run average (ERA) against Seattle is a horrid 9.00.
His ERA Saturday in Seattle was 9.95, his second worst showing of the season.
Darvish began his evening in Seattle by throwing three straight balls and eventually walking that first batter. Next, Ichiro Suzuki hit a single. Then a wild pitch by Darvish advanced Suzuki to second. Then Darvish hit Casper Wells to load up the bases.
Facing the fourth batter, Darvish threw four straight balls, forcing in a run.
At that point, Darvish had thrown 15 fastballs with 10 of them missing the strike zone.
Darvish has often struggled with ball control in the first inning. In 17 starts this season, he has walked at least one batter in the first inning of 14 of those games.
Darvish now has 10 wins and six losses to his credit. Two of those losses are to Seattle.
Among the 388 pitchers in the Major Leagues with more than 20 innings pitched this season, Darvish ranks an outstanding 10th in strikeouts, a miserable fourth in walks and an uninspiring 218th in ERA.
