Perez Encourages in B Game

Martin Perez is still only 24 years old, which is easy to forget sometimes.

Perez is now two years removed from Tommy John surgery, the point at which several pitchers finally regain their previous form and sometimes improve it, and if his spring debut on Sunday showed anything, it's that Perez is along that track.

The lefty started a B game in Surprise on Sunday against mostly minor-leaguers, and competition aside, he looked fantastic, by all accounts.

Here's what the Dallas Morning News' Evan Grant had to say, even though he was at the "A game" and didn't get to witness Perez's outing first hand.

According to observers, Perez's velocity with the two-seamer was regularly 92-93 mph, with a few touches of 94 mph. Perez averaged 91.8 mph with his fastball last year and 90.3 mph before tearing the ligament in his left elbow in 2014.

Perez, clearly, was pretty fired up afterward.

"My fastball was consistent," Perez told reporters. "It felt good coming out. The ball was down and the command was good."

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If Perez has indeed taken another step, the Rangers could be looking at a huge boost to their rotation as a No. 4 starter once Yu Darvish returns. And if he's really good, he might force himself into the No. 3 starter's role ahead of Derek Holland.

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