Rangers manager Jeff Banister is considering using an opening reliever in front of Perez on future days the left-hander is scheduled to pitch, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports. "It's an option," Banister said after Saturday's game against the Giants, during which Perez allowed four first-inning runs. "We've talked about it, and we're going to continue to have those conversations...the challenge for us was to give them four runs in the first inning. It seemed all the hits came on fastballs; we've got to be able to mix pitches."
Perez has allowed 11 first-inning runs in 13 starts, with opponents hitting .352 against him in the opening frame. Over Perez's last eight starts, the Nos. 1 and 2 hitters are a combined 7-for-15 (.467) with five extra-base hits and a sacrifice fly in the first inning. While the skipper thinks using another pitcher to give lineups a different look early on before inserting Perez in the game might yield better results, Banister's comments about mixing pitches may be the real culprit behind the southpaw's struggles. Batters are raking against Perez's fastball early, hitting .583 off his four-seamer the first time through the order, per Brooks Baseball.