Report: Rangers' Martin Perez to make first start in 14 months Friday
Texas Rangers left-hander Martin Perez hasn't pitched in the major leagues since May 10, 2014, as Tommy John surgery relegated him to the sidelines for almost all of last season and the first half of the 2015 campaign.
His lengthy rehab process has finally come to a close, as the Rangers will start Perez on Friday against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park.
The news was reported by Gerry Fraley of the Dallas Morning News, and it's great news indeed for the Rangers.
For what it's worth, Fraley notes that Perez didn't have great stats in his rehab work (going 0-1 with a 4.56 ERA in 25 2/3 IP), but stats are rarely considered 'important' when a pitcher is working back from an arm-related injury such as Perez's.
Now that he's been medically cleared to return to duty, the Rangers hope he'll pick up where he left off prior to his setback last season.
For his career, Perez owns a 15-13 record and a 4.13 ERA, with his most successful year to date being the 2013 season in which he went 10-6 and threw more than 124 innings for the Rangers.
