McCullers struck out 10 and earned the win Saturday against the Rangers, allowing two earned runs on four hits and one walk over 5.1 innings.
McCullers' season debut was highlighted by the control he showed as he found the strike zone on 61 of his 90 pitches and began 14 of the 21 batters he faced with a strike. A steady diet of his elite curveball baffled the Rangers, who reached base just three times over the first two trips through the order. Not every start will be as smooth for him, as he was anchored to a lead early in the game, so it remains to be seen if he can continue to show that type of control as the season goes on. However, it was a great first start for McCullers, and most importantly he showed plenty of his excellent swing-and-miss stuff.