The Rangers moved a then-struggling from the rotation to the bullpen in early August, but the left-hander has righted the ship and pitched well enough of late that theyll likely plug him back into the starting staff for the final stretch of the season. I think thats fair to say, manager Bruce Bochy replied if Perez had pitched his way back into a rotation role. The decision to move Perez into a relief role was sensible at the time. The veteran southpaw made 20 starts for Texas earlier this year but had limped to a 4.98 ERA in 108 1/3 innings in that role a far cry from 2022s stellar 2.89 ERA in 32 starts (196 1/3 innings). The bullpen move has helped Perez get back on track; in 13 relief appearances, hes logged 28 innings of 2.57 ERA ball with a 19-to-6 K/BB ratio and an enormous 65.9% ground-ball rate. That includes a particularly strong stretch over his past nine appearances, where hes allowed just two runs in 15 2/3 innings while sporting a 15-to-3 K/BB mark. Right-hander lasted just 2 1/3 innings yesterday before giving way to Perez, who came on to to s 4 2/3 innings of scorele s relief and earn his tenth win of the season in the proce s. Perez to sed 64 pitches, allowed three hits and a walk, and punched out five batters in that nearly spotle s performance. It was a much-needed respite for a Rangers Andre Drummond Jersey bullpen that had been tasked with covering 23 innings in the teams past six games. Southpaw is locked in as the Rangers top starter now that s regular season is likely over . is still building back up from a lengthy IL stint due to a forearm strain. He pitched five innings in his most recent outing his longest since originally hitting the IL back in July. and Gray have also been making regular starts, although Gray has hit a wall of late, yielding 13 runs in 13 2/3 frames over his past four starts combined. Rookie left-hander made a start earlier this week his seventh of the year but his first since late July and was tagged for six runs in three innings. Texas also has veteran starter as an option to start down the stretch, but theres financial motivation for them to keep him in the bullpen role to which he was recently shifted. The second season of Heaneys two-year, $25MM contract is a player option valued at $13MM, but that would jump to a $20MM value if he pitches 150 innings in 2023. Hes currently at 138 1/3 innings on the year, and keeping him in a relief role will likely keep that player option at the lower of those two values. Perezs return to the rotation will come at a pivotal time in the games most tightly contested division. The Rangers and Mariners are tied with identical 84-68 records, both sitting just a half game behind the division-leading Astros. Beyond that, Texas and Seattle play seven of their final ten games this season against one another, making every start of critical importance. If Perez indeed makes another start or two and helps push the Rangers into the postseason, hed be an option to take the ball in a playoff start as well. A strong finish to the year in a return to a starting role would also bode well for Perez this offseason, when hell once again be a free agent. His work out of the pen has improved his season line to a 4.49 in 136 1/3 innings. This seasons 15% strikeout rate is down considerably from last years 20.6% mark, and its a similar story with his ground-ball rate (51.4% in 2022; 45.6% in 2023). That said, if Perez can close out the year on a high note and perhaps show well in the postseason, hell have a decent case as a back-of-the-rotation innings eater who should command interest from clubs in need of innings. Thon Maker Jersey