Tuesday newsletter time: Rangers need Martin Perez, but finding a deal might not be a layup
(AP photo/LM Otero)
The two main storylines this month for the Rangers are the hiring of a new manager and attempting to negotiate a contract extension for left-hander Martin Perez, in that order.
Opinions abound about both, though it’s pretty cut and dried with Perez — yes, no, or only for the right price.
So when the Rangers say they want to keep Perez, it’s only for the right price. The right price is their price.
The guess here is that Perez has asked the Rangers for five years and that the Rangers are thinking three at the most. Jon Gray money, $14 million a year, seems like it might get the job done.
Perez was better than $14 million this season and swore on Episode 55 of the Rangers Today Baseball Podcast that the 2022 version of him is who he will be for the duration of his next contract. He’s told the Rangers that.
It’s up to them to decide if they believe him, and they have probably been poking holes in him to see if he’s really worth Gray money.
Honestly, the Rangers would probably like it if Perez accepted a qualifying offer, even at $19.65 million. It’s just one year, and teams love one-year deals. But if they think he’s only going to accept a five-year deal, they need throw three years and $42 million at him and see what it does.
The Rangers badly need starting pitching and general manager Chris Young is smart, so this is going to get done. It’s just not going to be as easy as it should be.
Rain changer
Rain wiped out Game 5 of the American League Division Series between the Guardians and Yankees, and it wiped out the originally scheduled pitching matchup.
The Yankees will turn to left-hander Nestor Cortes Jr., their All-Star starter who will be on mulitple Cy Young ballots. Cleveland is listing TBD as the starter with the extra day potentially giving Shane Bieber a chance to start instead of Aaron Civale.
At least it was raining, unlike that “rainout” in the 2011 World Series. Game 6 was delayed and it never rained a drop, and the storm that never came allowed the Cardinals to start Chris Carpenter in Game 7.
Anyhoo, the Game 5 winner this afternoon will head to Houston to face the Astros in the American League Championship Series on Wednesday. The National League Championship Series between the Phillies and Padres begins tonight.
Don’t you know MLB commissioner Rob Manfred is praying for a Yankees win to boost TV ratings.
Rangers Today reminders
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There’s no slowing down now, not with a managerial search unfolding.
So …
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Doggy video!
How’s your Tuesday going? Hopefully not like this. Enjoy.
Dog walking his human.. 😅 pic.twitter.com/JlgWKS1rBn
— Buitengebieden (@buitengebieden) October 14, 2022
Jeff Wilson, jeff@rangerstoday.com
Signing Perez past 3 years seems incredibly risky, and I do not think C.Y. signs off on that. I can see the 3/42-45 range being close to what is agreed. However, the QO is an interesting option too as it eliminates a lot of risk on the Rangers’ part if he walks. I just do not understand keeping him past the trade deadline in July if the QO is the final result at play here.