Most of the major leagues has been affected by injuries, but none more than the Rangers. Texas Rangers pitchers Martin Perez and Matt Harrison are expected to miss significant time with serious injuries. They have possibly been loss for the rest of the season.
Martin Perez was originally diagnosed with inflammation last week in his left elbow. It is now known that he has a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament in his left elbow, according to Anthony Andro of FoxSports Southwest. If we know anything by the way things have played out this season, Martin Perez will likely undergo the dreaded Tommy John surgery that so many pitchers have undergone. If he does, he will not return to action until the middle of the 2015 season.
However, Perez is considering sitting out ten-to-twelve weeks while rehabbing his arm, instead of undergoing immediate surgery. It is unlikely that he actually does this, because many pitchers fear that by not having the surgery, they will further damage their arm. Perez had experienced discomfort in his elbow in his last start on Saturday against the Red Sox. He had allowed six runs on nine hits in only three-plus innings.
During his short 2014 campaign, Perez has compiled a 4-3 record in eight starts over 51.1 innings pitched. During these eight starts, he had a 4.38 ERA and a 6.1 K/9. He had also recorded a twenty-six inning scoreless streak over three starts. In his three-year career, Perez is 15-13 with a 4.13 ERA over 213 career innings.
The injury-plagued Matt Harrison has suffered a severe back injury that could potentially end his career. He has been diagnosed with an injury in his L5-S1 spondylolisthesis. He has been given two options: avoid surgery by rehabbing for months (season in jeopardy) or undergo spinal fusion surgery and possibly never pitch again. Harrison has only made six starts over the last two seasons, with four of them coming this season. In four starts this season, he was 1-1 with a 4.15 ERA over 17.1 innings. In his seven-year career, he has been named an All Star, as well as going 49-33 over 652.1 innings. He has a career ERA of 4.15, which was also his 2014 season ERA.