Texas Rangers 2017 preseason preview: Martin Perez
Texas Rangers lefty Martin Perez has plenty to build on after his first full season as a starter.
The 2016 season was a huge step in the career of Texas Rangers left-hander Martin Perez. He started 33 games, pitched 198 2/3 innings and he allowed an average of just .815 home runs per nine innings. While he wasn’t lights-out by any stretch of the imagination, he did put together a solid year for a guy just fighting for a rotation slot.
What 2016 taught us
Perez set career highs in games started, games played, innings pitched and strikeouts. He also kept the ball in the yard, which is an impressive feat at a launch pad like Globe Life Park. The soon-to-be 26 year-old was a consistent piece to the pitching staff, remaining healthy throughout the season.
He proved that he’s capable of making it all year and that he can solidify the back half of the rotation for Texas. He also showed us that he can survive a full year playing in the Arlington heat and against American League hitters.
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Using both a sinker and a four-seam fastball that clock in around 94 MPH, as well as a changeup, sinker and curveball, he showcased some good “stuff.” Overall, he’s a talented young arm that has some good upside, but he certainly still has his flaws.
Where his game falls short is in his ability to miss bats and strike guys out. He had a 12.1% strikeout rate in 2016, which was way below the league average of 20.74%. He also allowed an opposing batting average of .270, which was 13 points higher than the rest of the AL. So, it’s no surprise that his 4.39 ERA was .19 points higher than the AL average.
What 2017 will give us
Just to make things clear, his 2016 season was certainly a success. His yeoman-like ability to go out start after start and eat innings and keep Texas in every game was crucial. For the Rangers to succeed in 2017, they’ll need to see more of that with some key progress.
Many project Perez to wind up as the number three guy on the Texas Rangers pitching staff. This might be a tad optimistic. While he certainly has the potential for it and could someday be a really good mid-rotation pitcher, his value is at the back end.
This Rangers pitching rotation is one of the best they’ve had in a long time. With Yu Darvish and Cole Hamels taking the ball as ace one and ace two, there is a lot less pressure for the numbers three through five guys. Andrew Cashner and Tyson Ross will make strong cases as number threes, themselves. Plus, A.J. Griffin could factor into the mix as well. This leaves a possibility that Perez misses the rotation altogether.
That likely won’t happen, though. Perez will prove this spring why he earned a starting gig last season and he’ll hold it down in 2017. Pitching coach Doug Brocail will no doubt help him improve at least a little bit in his strikeout strategy, hoping to bump him up to about 130 strikeouts this year. His ERA will drop a little to 4.10 and he’ll finish realistically with a record of around 13-10.
For Perez, it will be imperative for him to “bend but not break.” Opposing hitters will still get their fair share of hits, but they’ll keep the ball in the park. Aided by his hard sinker and keeping pitches low toward the dirt, he’ll allow less than one home run per nine innings. Their average against Perez will also drop a few points to .263. This season will be a building block and a stepping stone to his future success as an MLB pitcher. That is, if he can just get some more swings and misses.