Rangers Spring Training Preview: Martin Perez

Martin Perez was the 2022 Rangers Pitcher of the Year and he's out to prove in 2023 that he can do it again.

InsidetheRangers.com previews every player on the Texas Rangers 40-man roster heading into Spring Training in Surprise, Arizona.

P Martín Pérez

In 2022: Pérez went 12-8 with a 2.89 ERA in 32 games (all starts). He threw 196 1/3 innings, giving up 178 hits, 70 runs (63 earned), 11 home runs and 69 walks. He struck out 169. Opponents hit .241 against him and he had a 1.26 WHIP.

Pérez was the best Texas starting pitcher last season. He was the only one to take every scheduled turn in the rotation.

Pérez was named the Rangers Pitcher of the Year by the Dallas-Fort Worth chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America. The left-hander made his first All-Star Game and was named the American League Pitcher of the Month for May. The Rangers signed him to a one-year, $4 million deal and he turned out to be the best bargain of the offseason.

Pérez provided instant ballast to a rotation filled with young players, and once he found a groove in May he never really lost it. He spent the first eight seasons of his career with the Rangers. He returned after a three-year tour with the Minnesota Twins and Boston Red Sox a better pitcher.

Pérez’s Career at a Glance: In an 11-year Major League career, he is 75-77 with a 4.43 ERA. He was 55-57 overall with a 4.28 ERA with Texas. In 2.89 ERA in 2022 was the lowest single-season ERA of his career by nearly a point.

Contract Status: Pérez was a free agent. The Rangers extended him a $19.65 qualifying offer on Nov. 10. He accepted it before the deadline and will play on that salary, becoming a free agent next offseason.

In Surprise: Pérez and the Rangers wanted a reunion, and for one season at least they’ll get it. Pérez was hoping for a longer-term deal for a little more security, but he made his peace with it quickly in November. After that, he watched as the Rangers successfully addressed the starting pitching for 2023 by signing four veterans —Jacob deGrom, Andrew Heaney, Jake Odorizzi and Nathan Eovaldi. Pérez recently said the Rangers had “no excuses” this season. Pérez should be a member of the opening-day starting rotation, though the honor to start Opening Day may fall to deGrom. Still, Pérez is a great fit in a veteran rotation who, barring injury, will take the ball every fifth day and give the Rangers at least six quality innings.

2023 Texas Rangers 40-Man Spring Training Previews:

Joe Barlow | John King | Dane Dunning | Brett Martin | Jake Odorizzi | Yerry Rodriguez | Owen White | Cole Ragans | Andrew Heaney | Glenn Otto | Josh Sborz | Ricky Vanasco | Cole Winn | Nathan Eovaldi | Jon Gray | Jonathan Hernández | Spencer Howard | José Leclerc |

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