Rangers' Martin Perez likely to undergo Tommy John surgery

Martin Perez threw nine shutout innings vs. the A's in April, marking his second straight complete shutout. (Doug Pensinger/Getty Images) Texas Rangers

Martin Perez threw nine shutout innings vs. the A's in April, marking his second straight complete shutout. (Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

Texas Rangers pitcher Martin Perez is leaning toward undergoing Tommy John surgery to repair a partial tear of his ulnar collateral ligament in his left elbow, he said Thursday.

“I don’t want to miss this year; I want to get out there and compete,” Perez said Thursday,

according to

The Dallas Morning News

. “But I can’t just think about this year. If I do the other option, I might not get back or the ligament might get hurt again. If I have the surgery, at this time next year, I can be back and doing what I was doing before – helping the team.

“I feel bad, but I don’t want to end up not being able to help the team all of next year, too,” Perez said.

Perez's conundrum is simple — he can either opt for the surgery now and face a year-long rehab and recovery process, or he can opt for an injection and rehab that would keep him out about three months. The second option, however, could be risky. If it doesn't work, he could end up needing Tommy John surgery anyway.

The Rangers' pitching staff has been bitten by the injury bug all season, but this week may have been the team's toughest yet. Aside from Perez, starter Matt Harrison may have to undergo career-threatening spinal-fusion surgery.

The 23-year-old Perez had a 26-inning scoreless streak in April, but he gave up 19 runs over his past three starts. He complained of elbow soreness after pitching Saturday night against the Boston Red Sox. 

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