Now that the MLB lockout has officially ended, the Texas Rangers are wasting no time adding to their roster. This time, they have added a familiar face. It was announced on Thursday that the Rangers have reached an agreement with veteran left-hander Martin Perez. Prior to the lockout, the Texas Rangers’ focus was evidently aimed toward their lineup as they signed Corey Seager and Marcus Semien. This current move, however, indicates that President of Baseball Operations Jon Daniels and GM Chris Young haven’t forgotten about pitching.
Perez Returns to Arlington
Perez is returning to Arlington as a free agent. This new deal is pending a physical, and it is for one year. It will pay the 30-year-old lefty $4 million. Perez was with the Texas Rangers from 2012-2018. He spent the past two seasons with the Boston Red Sox. Last season, he posted a record of 7–8 with a 4.74 ERA in 36 games, 22 of them starts. He set career highs in K/9 (7.7) and K/BB (2.69).
Low-Risk Move
The Texas Rangers’ decision to ink Perez is a good one. Prior to the lockout, they invested over $200 million in Seager and Semien alone. It is quite obvious that they have money to spend, but they still need to be wise with it. Perez has had some shaky moments in the past, but overall he has proven to be reliable. He was at his best in 2016-2017, where he posted a 4.60 ERA and 1.47 WHIP over a total of 65 starts and 383 2/3 innings. Rangers fans are clamoring for pitching, and for now, they’ll have put their trust in Perez as well as Jon Gray, whom the Rangers signed in late November.
Other News
The Rangers made another signing on Thursday evening. They signed right-hander Brandon Workman to a minor league contract. It is hard to put yourself into the mindset of a major league front office. A lot can happen before Opening Day on April 7th. We’ll see what happens.
Main Photo:
Embed from Getty Images
Players Mentioned:
Martin Perez, Corey Seager, Marcus Semien, Jon Gray, Brandon Workman
