By T.R. Sullivan

Matt Harrison was the American League Pitcher of the Month. Here is the release…

MATT HARRISON SELECTED AS AMERICAN LEAGUE PITCHER OF THE MONTH

AND RANGERS PLAYER OF THE MONTH FOR JUNE

First-time All-Star matched club record with 5 wins last month

Arlington, Texas — Texas Rangers left-handed pitcher Matt Harrison has been voted the American League Pitcher of the Month for June. Major League Baseball made the announcement this afternoon. He was also a unanimous selection as the Rangers Player of the Month for June, the first time he has ever won either award in his career.

Harrison is only the second Texas pitcher to win the A.L.’s monthly honor in the last 14 seasons (1999–2012). Since Rick Helling won in September 1998, the only other Ranger to take the award was Kenny Rogers in May 2005. This marks just the fifth monthly honor for a Texas pitcher in the last 28 years since 1985, joining Bobby Witt (July 1990), Rogers (May 1995 and May 2005), and Helling (Sept. 1998).

Harrison went 5–0 with a 1.29 ERA (6 ER/42.0 IP) over 6 starts last month, holding opponents to a .224 average with 10 walks and 24 strikeouts. His 5 wins were tied for the major league lead, tied for most in the A.L. with Tampa Bay’s David Price. His 1.29 ERA ranked second in the A.L. and third in the majors. His 5 wins matched the club record for June, done three other times: Jim Bibby in 1974, Gaylord Perry in 1976, and Charlie Hough in 1983. He was the first Texas pitcher with a 5-win month since Scott Feldman in August 2009 (5).

Announced as a first-time American League All-Star yesterday, Harrison has gone 11–3 with a 3.16 ERA in 16 starts for Texas this season. He is tied for the league lead in wins and ranks among A.L. leaders in winning pct. (6th, .786), innings (7th, 105.1) and ERA (8th). He has gone 7–0 with a 1.42 ERA over his last 8 starts, the longest win streak by any A.L. pitcher this season and tied for the longest in his career. He is the first Texas pitcher with at least 11 wins prior to the All-Star break since Kenny Rogers (12) in 2004, just the ninth Rangers pitcher ever with as many pre-break wins.