Mengden (0-2) struck out seven and limited the Rangers to only two runs (one earned) on just four hits and a walk over 6.1 innings Thursday, but was left with a hard-luck loss.
After a mediocre MLB debut, Mengden's got our attention now, and his stats in the minors say he ought to -- he owns a 1.39 ERA, 0.84 WHIP and 39:10 K:BB in 45.1 innings at Triple-A this year. With precious few exceptions, the 23-year-old has shown terrific control throughout his career in the minors, and after working out the jitters from his first start, he came out and showed it Thursday. That makes Mengden well worth watching in the near term, particularly with the Brewers and their below-average offense coming to face him in Oakland on Wednesday.