Martin Perez hasn't pitched at the beginning of a season since 2014 when he was inexplicably passed up by Tanner Scheppers to make the Rangers' Opening Day start with Yu Darvish starting the year on the disabled list.
He hasn't pitched a full season since 2013, as he was shut down in May to have Tommy John surgery in 2014.
Now, he's making his first start of 2016 in the Rangers' second game of the year with the hope that this year will be a healthy, full season for the young lefty who celebrated his 25th birthday on Monday with a Rangers' win on Opening Day.
Perez will take the mound on Tuesday night against the Mariners opposite the very good Hisashi Iwakuma after a spring of some very mixed results.
A good Perez this year, especially prior to Darvish's return in late May or early June from Tommy John surgery of his own, is pivotal to the Rangers' success this year, and it all starts on Tuesday night.
