Texas Rangers Martin Perez Continues to Struggle

May 5, 2014; Denver, CO, USA; Texas Rangers starting pitcher Martin Perez (33) reacts after giving up a run in the third inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

On April 23, I wrote a piece asking if Martin Perez was the new Texas Rangers ace. I compared his numbers with the numbers of Yu Darvish, and the case for either of them was pretty strong. At that time, Martin Perez had a 1.42 ERA. He is struggling in many aspects of the game now, including but not limited to his ERA (now 3.59, more than two runs higher in just two starts) and facing lead off hitters.

Is it a slump? Is Martin Perez not as good as we thought he was? Have opposing batters figured him out? I am not sure, but I know that his last two starts have not been good at all. In his last two starts he has given up 15 hits, two homers, 6 walks, 8 strikeouts and opponents are hitting the ball hard against him.

I am not sure that he has changed what he is trying to do or attempted to tweak anything, sometimes players, especially young players, just have trouble. I am reminded of a young Derek Holland, who would be brilliant for an outing or two and then come out and be really bad for a couple of starts. It is a fact of baseball, and I am most assuredly not ready to panic and say Martin Perez is not worth having in the rotation. Talk to me if this continues through the entire month of May.

Martin Perez will finish somewhere in the middle of the pitcher he was in the middle of his 26 scoreless innings stretch and the pitcher we have seen the last two starts. He is not going to wow us every game, and he is not going to be horrible every game. We need to remember that sometimes players struggle, and that is all that is happening to Martin Perez. Let us all hope that his struggles end soon.