The season hasn’t even started yet but the Rangers are already dealing with injuries to the starting pitching staff. This time it involves Martin Perez, a bull and a pen.
Let’s get weird.
Perez broke his right elbow (non-throwing) on his ranch in Venezuela. Rangers general manager Jon Daniels told 105.3 The Fan that Perez was in a ‘pen or wherever they keep animals' and a bull moved towards him. He moved to get out of the way and landed on the elbow.
You know, just normal offseason baseball stuff.
Perez underwent surgery on Monday to repair a fracture of the radial head in his right elbow. He’s expected to be on the sideline for about four months, although Daniels is optimistic about a plan for Perez to be ready by Opening Day. That plan includes the lefty to undergo rehab and a throwing program in Arlington after the first of the year.
Before this unfortunate injury, Perez was penciled in as the Rangers No.2 starter behind Cole Hamels. Perez has led Texas in starts in each of the last two seasons.
There has been a fair share of frustration from Rangers Nation when it comes to Perez and it involves the word “inconsistency.” There would be a start where he looks like he’s arrived on the “ace” level. Then the bottom would fall out during the next outing or two. There’s also the belief that Perez is a 4 or 5 starter at best and the idea of sticking him in the bullpen has even been thrown out there.
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On second thought, maybe it’s not such a good idea.
This isn’t the first time strange things have happened to Rangers pitchers during the offseason. Remember that one time a few years ago when Derek Holland injured his knee playing with his dog at home. Holland had knee surgery and was out until the All-Star Break.
Martin Perez just joined that club.
The front office has spent the offseason trying to piece together a starting rotation around Hamels and Perez. Now they are down an arm, thanks to farm animals. Let’s stay on the crazy train here and ask if this adds fuel to the fire in bringing back free agent Yu Darvish. A reunion has been on the table. However, the Cubs recently jumped into the picture and met with Darvish in Dallas on Monday. Both teams are in need of a top-line starter. Now the question is who will pony up the money.
The Rangers had plenty of bullpen problems last season, and now it appears a bull in the pen has caused some damage before spring training even had a chance to arrive.
