13-win Colby Lewis, Invaluable for Texas Rangers

In the thick of the playoff race, 13-win starting pitcher, Colby Lewis, has proven to be invaluable to the Texas Rangers.

Often overlooked in the Texas Rangers’ rotation is 36-year old right-hander, Colby Lewis. Hardly the sexiest name in the Rangers rotation, Lewis has proven to a key cog in the Texas Rangers’ machine, and a big reason why Texas is narrowing the gap in the race to the playoffs.

On Saturday, Colby Lewis picked up his 13^th win of the season, as the Texas Rangers mount an end-of-season push to make the playoffs. 13 wins places Colby Lewis in elite company this season. The only other American League pitchers to collect 13 wins this season are Felix Hernandez and Dallas Keuchel.

The Texas Rangers came out of the All-Star break with plenty of ground to make up. Today, the Rangers stand less than 2 games behind in the wild card race, with very realistic chances of laying claim before month’s end.

Since the All-Star break, Colby Lewis has been at his best posting a 3.73 ERA in route to five wins and only one loss. One notable, almost season-saving win, was against the New York Yankees, immediately following the 21 run butt-kicking suffered the night before.

How the Rangers responded to that “public embarrassment” was going to say plenty about the character of the club and the mental fortitude of a team trying to make a push. Yankees manager, Joe Girardi, smelled blood in the water that next day, and loaded eight left-handed bats into his lineup. The right-handed Lewis responded by only allowing 2 runs, in six innings, on the way to a 5-2 Texas win.

"“Lewis threw a pretty good game,” Girardi said. “He made a lot of pitches with his slider.”"

It’s easy to forget about, and take a pitcher like Colby Lewis for granted, but since his reunion with the Rangers in 2010, Lewis has been one of the most valuable players for the franchise.

As many know, Colby Lewis began his MLB career with the Texas Rangers back in 2002. After struggling his first six years, Colby decided to take his skills overseas. Playing for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp, Colby Lewis found his success, leading the league in strikeouts in both 2008 and 2009.

Colby Lewis rejoined the Rangers in 2010 with limited fanfare and limited expectations, but since then, Colby has been a mainstay in the rotation, and a leader in the clubhouse. The 6’4” 240lbs powerhouse pitched over 200 innings his first two years back, earning a 3.72 and 4.40 ERA respectively.

With the exception of his injury-riddled 2012 season, Colby Lewis has collected double digit wins every year back with the Rangers. Only midway through August, Lewis has 13 wins and is pitching his best stuff of the season.

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Even with the tight race the Texas Rangers are currently in for the playoffs this season, it’s easy to get caught up in the dreams of next season. Next season, the Rangers are expected to get ace pitcher Yu Darvish back. #2 pitcher Cole Hamels will have half a season of AL practice under his belt. Derek Holland and Martin Perez will be a season removed from major injury. And Nick Martinez and Chi Chi Gonzalez will be done with that pesky first year jump and ready to contribute full-time.

With those dreams of next season, it’s easy to forget Colby Lewis, and everything he’s done (and continues to do) for the Rangers THIS season. Don’t forget about Colby, because he’s a big reason we’re still going to be watching baseball in autumn.

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