Derek Holland Got Lit Up

The Blue Jays took their bats to the Dutch Oven Thursday night. Rangers starter Derek Holland was the first pitcher to give up double-digit runs in an appearance this season, as Toronto won, 12-2.

Holland was responsible for 11 earned runs, 11 hits, and three walks in 2 2/3 innings. He threw 75 pitches and didn’t strike anyone out.

The Blue Jays were feasting on Holland’s sinker. Even when he was ahead in the count, the hitters knew what was coming. From the Dallas Morning News

Toronto rapped out 11 hits, nine of them on sinkers, four of them on first-pitch sinkers. He made 17 pitches with two strikes; 11 of them were sinkers.

“Derek is what he is,” Rangers manager Jeff Banister said. “He’s a fastball pitcher with a hard breaking ball and a changeup. Typically, he works better East to West than he does vertically. He just couldn’t get the pitches where he wanted to tonight.”

Toronto’s Edwin Encarnacion got the best of Holland, with a bases-loaded double in the first inning and a three-run homer in the third. The designated hitter went three-for-four with six RBIs for the game.

Holland, who hadn’t surrendered more than three earned runs in a start this season, entered the night with a 2.48 ERA. After the beatdown, it jumped to 5.40. His next projected start comes against the White Sox, currently the American League’s best team. Nowhere to go but up.