The Texas Rangers Best 1-2 Punch May Not Include Darvish

By mid-summer, the Texas Rangers may be boasting the American League’s top 1-2 duo at starting pitcher, but the names may surprise you.

Spring training is always a great time for wild speculation and unguarded optimism and this March is certainly no different. The Texas Rangers are having a spectacular spring. Their veterans look strong, their youth is exploding with realized potential, the pitching looks deep, and the total roster looks as good as it’s been in years.

Things are looking so good that many are jumping ahead and looking at what kind of postseason impact the Texas Rangers could make. While a playoff rotation of Cole Hamels, Yu Darvish, Martin Perez, and Derek Holland sounds exciting, it’s fair to say mush can change (especially injury status) between now and next autumn.

Making headlines these days is what the Texas Rangers could look like in midsummer when their ace, Yu Darvish, returns to the rotation. Matching Yu with Hamels looks pretty darn good on paper and many are calling it the best 1-2 punch in the AL.

It’s tough to argue with that logic since the AL is largely devoid of dynamic duos. Dallas Morning News’ Tim Cowlishaw pointed out that Cleveland’s Corey Kluber and Carlos Carrasco, Chicago’s Chris Sale and Jose Quintana, and Detroit’s Justin Verlander and Jordan Zimmermann are the best the AL has to offer.

Those top pairings are nice but they don’t really blow the doors off. That’s why the Texas Rangers have a pretty good shot at laying claim to the top 1-2 pairing in the AL.

But it may not even be Yu Darvish who makes up the second half of that equation. It may be a pitcher named Marin Perez.

More from Texas Rangers

• Texas Rangers hitting the reset button with Jonathan Hernandez
• Texas Rangers lose Jacob deGrom to Tommy John: Next steps
• Grant Anderson gives the Texas Rangers their missing ingredient
• Texas Rangers: How Adolis Garcia started putting up MVP numbers
• Why Kumar Rocker is still a successful pick for the Texas Rangers

Martin Perez, less than two years removed from his own Tommy John procedure, is looking to make some noise this season. The 24-year old lefty started his comeback last season but was noticeably rusty both mentally and physically.

But Tommy John surgery no longer carries the terrible stigma it once carried.

Pitchers are expected to come back just as strong (if not stronger) and some are even opting to do it proactively so they can be more durable down the road.

While the procedure is routine, it does require a significant recovery time and that’s why Yu Darvish may not initially be as dominant as he once was. Martin Perez is a good example. Perez came back on time. The procedure went well, the time table was standard, and everything was managed conservatively. Yet, he still struggled in his comeback.

More from Sports Dallas Fort-Worth

• West coast, Texas coast, burnt toast: Cowboys don’t need more runs
• Brandin Cooks will change the way defenses play the Dallas Cowboys
• Why the Dallas Cowboys defensive X-Factor is EDGE Sam Williams
• Dallas Cowboys: 3 head coach options if McCarthy fails in 2023
• Dallas Cowboys: Is CB Jourdan Lewis a tradeable asset?

Such is the case for any pitcher coming back from an extended time off. It’s unreasonable to expect them to pick up right where they left off – no matter how great they feel physically or how positive they are mentally.

Yu Darvish may take some time getting back to where he was in 2014. He’s on track to be back by late-May/early-June but he may not be “back” back, if you know what I’m saying.

Martin Perez, on the other hand, is looking every bit as good as he once was and possibly even better. Perez has never been about velocity.

It’s the movement, the accuracy, the curve, slider, and changeup that he matches with his 94 mph fastball that makes him so great.

"“I didn’t want to think it but last year I was just thinking that I didn’t want to get hurt again,” Perez said. “This year, though, that’s out of my mind. It’s going to be my second year after the surgery and I think everything is OK”."

Keep in mind, Martin Perez looked like he was an ace-in-the-making early in 2014. Before his health took a nosedive (and ultimately led to his Tommy John surgery), Perez was 4-0 with a 1.42 ERA and opponent OPS of .509

"“…you watch batting practice the other day and it was electric,” manager Jeff Banister said. “He’s got Odor and Beltre facing him and they’re coming out of the batting box going, ‘Omigod’.”"

Next: Delino DeShields is 'Not Done Yet'

Yu Darvish may bounce back and perform at a high level right out of the gate. We just don’t know until we see it. That’s why the Texas Rangers best shot at having the top 1-2 punch in the AL is with Martin Perez – not Yu Darvish.

I can’t wait to see those three in the postseason…