Klassen picks up first MLB win by going into attack mode

ANAHEIM -- Right-hander George Klassen displayed why he’s considered such a highly touted pitching prospect, as he delivered the best outing of his young career against the Rangers on Wednesday.

Klassen went six innings, allowing two runs on five hits and a walk to pick up his first career win in a 5-2 victory at Angel Stadium. Klassen had previously made three starts in the big leagues, but had never gone more than four frames and had a 7.27 ERA in 8 2/3 innings.

“I felt pretty good,” said Klassen, who was treated to a celebratory beer shower by his teammates after the game. “I definitely battled some things in the beginning of the game, but made some changes midway through and just kept on grinding. It was awesome. Couldn't do it without Moisés [Ballesteros] calling the game, the defense behind me and the bats swinging it. It was just overall a good team win.”

Ranked as the club’s No. 10 prospect by MLB Pipeline, Klassen looked much sharper against Texas. The 24-year-old ran into some early trouble, but settled down and was mostly efficient, needing 87 pitches to record 18 outs. His four-seamer averaged 96 mph and registered three swings and misses, while his 90.5 mph slider generated seven whiffs and his 86.9 mph changeup got four whiffs, per Statcast.

“I thought he was really, really great,” manager Kurt Suzuki said. “He attacked with first-pitch strikes [17-for-24], and we are trying to emphasize that. Getting ahead with his stuff, competing with his best stuff, attacking with what his strengths are.”

He struggled with his control with two outs in the second inning, loading the bases after he hit No. 9 hitter Nicky Lopez with a 1-1 slider. He then walked Joc Pederson on seven pitches to bring home the game’s first run, but got out of the jam by getting Brandon Nimmo to hit a comebacker on a first-pitch fastball.

Klassen also gave up a solo homer to Corey Seager in the third on a 2-2 slider that caught too much of the plate. But he got stronger as the game went on and his control improved, as he didn’t walk a batter after that shaky second inning. He also faced the minimum over his final three frames, giving up a single in the fifth that was erased by a double play.

“He had good stuff,” said Rangers manager Skip Schumaker. “He’s 97 [mph] at the top of the zone. The changeup gave us trouble to the lefties, and the slider was really effective against our righties. He was able to go east-west with his offspeed, and obviously the fastball at the top. But I thought his offspeed played really well against us, and couldn’t lay off that slider with some of our righties.”

Klassen’s command had been better recently at Triple-A Salt Lake, with a 2.44 ERA, 50 strikeouts and 20 walks over his last 50 1/3 innings, which is why he earned the callup to join the rotation on Friday in Miami. He was mostly solid in that outing, surrendering one run over four innings, but walked four.

He previously made two starts in early April with the Angels, but lasted just 2 2/3 innings in his MLB debut against Seattle on April 5 and two innings in Cincinnati on April 11. He walked five in each of those outings, which is why it’s notable that he’s been able to cut down his walk rate.

“It’s definitely about getting the changeup where I want it to be,” Klassen said. “I needed that to get the hitter's timing off.”

He’s expected to continue to get an extended look as a starter in the big leagues, especially with veteran lefty Yusei Kikuchi set to make one more rehab start with Single-A Rancho Cucamonga on Saturday before returning late next week. Klassen essentially replaced right-hander José Soriano after he was traded to the Blue Jays on Aug. 3.

On Wednesday, Klassen exited with the Angels down by a run, but they rallied for three runs in the sixth. Jose Siri provided a spark with an RBI double before stealing third and scoring on a sacrifice bunt from Denzer Guzman. Mike Trout plated an insurance run with an RBI single on his third hit of the night.

“I’m happy for him,” Trout said of Klassen. “After giving up a homer, getting out of that inning, he was able to go a good distance and get us through six. And the bullpen came in and shut the door.”