ARLINGTON -- Rangers pitcher Dennis Santana said his father, a big basketball fan, named him after two greats -- Dennis Rodman and Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway.
And while Dennis Anfernee Santana doesn't necessarily have the flair of Rodman or Hardaway on the mound, he’s looking to be a solid middle-relief pitcher for the Rangers right now.
Santana, who was called up from Triple-A Round Rock on July 3, was acquired from the Dodgers for right-handed pitcher Kelvin Bautista on June 17 after being designated for assignment on June 12.
Rangers manager Chris Woodward said the staff loves Santana’s stuff and hopes he can go multiple innings for the big league club following his debut with Texas.
“Maybe [Santana has] command issues at times, but if we can get this guy to throw the ball over the plate, he's gonna break some bats, for sure,” Woodward said. “His stuff moves all over the place. We’ve got to get him in the zone, attacking the strike zone. I've always liked this guy. I've heard good things about him. I haven't been around him a ton, but I look forward to getting to know him a little bit.”
In his Rangers debut in a 7-3 win over the Mariners on Saturday, he pitched a perfect seventh inning with two fly balls and a strikeout. Santana came up as a starter but transitioned to a bullpen role in recent years. He said he likes the pressure of those high-leverage situations as a mostly two-seamer-slider combination guy.
After being acquired by the Rangers, the 25-year-old Santana pitched four scoreless innings in four relief appearances at Triple-A.
“Dennis was throwing the ball really well,” Woodward said. “He can go multiple innings, though I don't know how many truly he can go. He hasn't been built up for a ton, but he's been throwing the ball really well. His stuff looks good. We wanted to see it. So [calling him up], it made sense.”
Brock Holt shaves mustache + other thoughts
Utility infielder Brock Holt isn’t superstitious, but he is a little 'stitious. On Friday after Texas’ 10-inning loss to the Mariners in Seattle, Holt decided to shave what had become his signature mustache this season after what he felt like had been a rough go at the plate for him.
Heading into the July 2 game, Holt was riding a three-game hitless streak (0-for-10) and felt like he needed a change.
“Desperate times call for desperate measures,” Holt joked on Zoom. “I felt like I'd been swinging the bat really well, and I haven't haven't been getting any results. So it's kind of a superstitious thing. I got a couple of hits on Sunday, so I'm hoping that the mustache was the reason why, and it wasn't just me. We'll see how it pans out.”
In two games in Seattle, Holt went 3-for-8 with two RBIs post-mustache shave.
Holt, as one of the most veteran guys on a young Rangers squad, has played a vital role in how Texas has gotten through its struggles this season, which included a 16-game road losing streak in June. He said sometimes it’s important for young teams to go through some struggles in order to learn and grow collectively.
“Obviously we had a really tough stretch where we felt like everything was going against us,” Holt said. “I feel like some of that stuff has changed and some individuals are having success. We've had a little bit of success as a team, so that just gives us confidence. And if you're confident in this game it can take you a long way.”
Dallas Stars night
The Rangers are hosting a Dallas Stars night during the club's six-game homestand before the All-Star break.
On Tuesday, hockey fans in the Dallas-Fort Worth area will be able to watch the Rangers take on the Tigers alongside fellow fans at Globe Life Field. Those who purchase a special theme night ticket will also receive a limited edition Dallas Stars/Texas Rangers hat.
Tickets must be purchased at texasrangers.com/themenights.