Martin Perez is trying to work his way back to his old form. (Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports)
ARLINGTON, Texas — Texas Rangers left-hander Martin Perez feels as if he is getting back into his pre-Tommy John surgery rhythm.
Perez will make his third start for the Rangers since coming off the disabled list Tuesday when he opposes the New York Yankees. He will look to build off a start in Colorado in which he allowed three earned runs in six innings.
“I feel really good,” he said. “Any pain I’ve had before is gone. In my second start, I stayed tall the whole game and felt comfortable the whole game. I didn’t miss a lot of pitches, and I think this is going to be a good second half for me and my team, too.”
Perez said facing the Yankees is a dream come true. The Yankees are one of two American League teams (in addition to the Toronto Blue Jays) the Venezuelan native hasn’t faced in his career.
Perez struggled some with his command in his first two starts, walking a total of six batters. He thinks that was because he was anxious to be pitching again. He knows he has to slow things down when he is on the mound.
“You don’t have to go too fast to home plate,” he said. “I’ve got to think where I want to put the ball and throw it where I want it. When I go too fast, you can’t control the game. When you have the ball, you can control the tempo of the game.”
