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Since taking over as the coach of the Texas Longhorns, Jim Schlossnagle has made it a goal to put together a team ready to compete in its first season in the SEC. From securing the return of multiple key players to being aggressive in recruiting, he and his staff have done an excellent job on that front so far.

Those returning include shortstop Jalin Flores and reigning Big 12 Player of the Year, Max Belyeu, as well as the pitching duo of Ace Whitehead and Max Grubbs. Joining those two will be a number of key transfer portal additions, with multiple pieces being added to the pitching staff so far for Max Weiner to work with.

On Sunday, that pitching staff got even stronger. Orangebloods’ Zachary Symm reported on X that Schlossnagle and his staff had secured a commitment from Indiana State left-handed pitcher Jared Spencer.

Spencer had been selected in the 14th round of the 2024 MLB Draft by the Philadelphia Phillies, and instead of going pro will instead make his way to Austin to pitch for the Longhorns during the 2025 season.

He boasts an impressive pitch arsenal, including a fastball that has topped out at 97 and a slider that generates a healthy amount of swings and misses. When healthy, Spencer is undoubtedly an electric arm with plenty of potential for the Longhorns’ coaching staff to work with.

Making 18 appearances for the Sycamores last season, nine of which were starts, he posted a strong 6-0 record. In those appearances he recorded a 4.08 ERA in 53 innings of work, tallying 72 strikeouts and just 33 walks while holding opponents to a mere .216 batting average when facing him.

While pitching was far from a major area of concern for the Longhorns in 2024, the lack of depth did become an issue by the time the NCAA Tournament came around. Ultimately, there just weren’t enough reliable arms to count on in high-pressure moments.

Next season, however, it is looking like that same problem won’t be as prominent for Texas under Schlossnagle and his staff. With the additions of players like Spencer from the portal plus recruits from the high school level, as well as the return of key arms from 2024, this pitching staff has the talent to be really, really good.

Jonah Heim hit a three-run homer, Andrew Heaney pitched two-hit ball over five scoreless innings and the Texas Rangers beat the Baltimore Orioles 3-2 on Sunday to avoid a three-game sweep in a postseason rematch from last year.

Anthony Santander closed the gap with his 27th home run and third of the series, a two-run shot in the eighth inning, before Texas held on to finish the season 2-5 against the Orioles. The Rangers swept Baltimore in the AL Division Series last year on the way to their first World Series title.

The Orioles won three of four at home in late June, with Texas salvaging the finale in that series as well.

Heaney (4-10) walked three and struck out four in the left-hander’s 14th consecutive start of allowing three or fewer earned runs. The longest such streak of Heaney’s career has dropped his ERA from 6.26 to 3.60.

Heim was in a 1-for-17 slump when he put Texas ahead 3-0 with two outs in the fourth, pulling the first pitch from Dean Kremer, an 85 mph splitter that stayed in the middle of the plate, into the Texas bullpen in right-center field. Wyatt Langford and Nathaniel Lowe had walked.

Kremer (4-6) allowed three runs on five hits and three walks with two strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings. It was the right-hander’s first appearance against the Rangers since giving up six runs in 1 2/3 innings in his postseason debut last October in the Rangers’ ALDS-clinching 7-1 victory at home.

Josh Sborz struck out three in his second consecutive two-inning outing after missing nearly two months in his second stint on the injured list this season with a right rotator cuff strain.

After Santander’s homer off David Robertson, Kirby Yates struck out two in a 1-2-3 ninth to remain perfect in 17 save chances. It was Yates’ first outing since throwing a scoreless inning in the AL’s 5-3 victory in the All-Star Game at his home ballpark Tuesday.

Texas star Corey Seager extended his on-base streak to 21 games, the longest active streak in the majors, with a single in the first.

Manager Bruce Bochy said the club would wait to decide whether to give RHP Max Scherzer extra days off. The three-time Cy Young Award winner exited his start Saturday night after two innings with arm fatigue. … Bochy said RHP Dane Dunning (right shoulder soreness) was ready for a return after a strong rehab outing at Triple-A Round Rock. Bochy was less definitive on the status of RHP Tyler Mahle (elbow surgery rehab), who appeared in the same game as Dunning on Saturday night.

RHP Michael Lorenzen (5-5, 3.52) is set for the opener of a four-game series against the Chicago White Sox at home. He has made 16 starts but hasn’t pitched in a week and a half.