Texas has sent Leiter back down to Triple-A, the team announced. In turn, fellow pitcher Owen White has been recalled to the major leagues.

Facing the Detroit Tigers, Leiter lasted just 3.2 innings, allowing eight hits and seven earned runs. He struck out three and walked three, throwing 82 pitches total. Despite Leiter’s poor start, Texas still came back to earn the victory 9-7.

The Rangers did everything in their power to get Leiter’s career off on the right foot, scoring four runs through the first two innings. However, Detroit answered back with four runs of their own in the bottom of the second inning. Another three would score in the fourth. While he only allowed one home run, Leiter consistently allowed extra base hits throughout his outing.

Texas will take the W, but nothing about Leiter’s start impressed them. Rather than throw him back into the MLB fire, the Rangers will have their top prospect return to the minors for some extra seasoning. They’ll be watching closely at his development as they ponder when is the right time to bring Jack Leiter back to the majors.

What Jack Leiter must do to return to Rangers

Leiter came to Texas with plenty of hype as the No. 2 pick in the 2021 MLB Draft. He was sensational during his time at Vanderbilt, holding a 13-4 record with a 2.08 ERA and a 201/53 K/BB ratio. However, his time in professional baseball has been a different story.

The right-hander has made 46 minor league appearances in his career, 42 of them coming in Double-A. He holds a 6-17 record with a 5.25 ERA and a 248/108 K/BB ratio. However, things have looked better in Triple-A during the 2024 season. While he’s only made three appearances, Leiter has pitched to a 1-1 record with a 3.77 ERA and a 25/3 K/BB ratio.