Martin Perez accepts qualifying offer, stays with Rangers for 2023

(AP Photo/Darren Yamashita)

Only days after it appeared Martin Perez expected to find a suitor in free agency, the All-Star left-hander accepted $19.65 million qualifying offer Tuesday.

The Rangers extended the offer Thursday, and Perez had made up his mind Monday to accept the one-year deal.

Perez never wanted to leave the Rangers, and it’s still possible that he and the Rangers work out an extension. If not, Perez will become a free agent again next year and won’t have a qualfying offer attached.

That, a source said, scared off some teams, including the