Once Martin Perez got past the first pitch in his rehab start for Double-A Frisco Monday night it was smooth sailing for the Texas left-hander.
Perez, who was making his first rehab start since tweaking his left groin, needed just 39 pitches to get through his three innings of work against Midland and looked dominant at times. He allowed one run on two hits, walked one and struck out four.
More importantly, Perez got through the start without any issues with his left elbow (Tommy John surgery) or his groin.
"The problem I had with my leg is gone and I'm ready to go continue my rehab," said Perez, who pitched 2 2/3 on June 10 in his first rehab start. "I think everything (was working). My sinker, all my pitches were good down in the zone and I just kept working. That's it. I don't care about the result. I just want to feel good with my arm and my leg and I think everything was good."
Midland's Colin Walsh greeted Perez by drilling the first pitch he saw over the wall in left at Dr Pepper Ballpark. But Perez ended the first inning at just 13 pitches and the last four he threw were 94 mph fastballs.
Perez retired the side in order in the second, striking out two. He worked around a one-out walk in the third and added another two strikeouts.
The Perez outing was watched by Texas general manager Jon Daniels, who liked what he saw.
"I saw a lot of life in the arm," Daniels said. "Three of the four pitches â the fastball, the slider and the changeup - were outstanding. For the second time out, it was very encouraging. It's three innings in Double A, but you can't ask for much more than what you saw tonight."
Perez thinks his next start, which will likely be four innings or 60 pitches, will be Saturday for Triple-A Round Rock.
The likely timeframe for Perez's return to the Rangers is after the All-Star break. Perez isn't focusing on that, especially with how good things are going for the Texas rotation right now.
"I want to go slow," he said. "I want to take my time and I think the guys are throwing really good up there. When they tell me I'm ready to pitch up there I want to do what I have to do to help the team. I feel good and everything's good."
