Santana (3-5) took the loss Thursday against Seattle, allowing three runs on three hits and a hit batsman while striking out one over a third of an inning.
Santana, who lost a second consecutive appearance, was part of a bullpen meltdown that squandered a gutsy performance by Martin Perez, who allowed one run and needed 102 pitches to complete five innings. Over his last six outings, Santana has allowed 13 runs (12 earned) on 11 hits and six walks, accelerating his ERA from 1.44 to 4.29. He's pitched well out of the bullpen, but Texas' starting staff puts a lot of stress on its relievers. The Rangers rank eighth in relief innings pitched, and while the 'pen has been good for much of the season, the workload may be catching up to Santana.